The global market for Helical Submerged Arc Welded (HSAW) Pipes is expected to slump by -13.4% in the year 2020 highlighting a US$810.6 million erosion in market value. Thereafter the market is expected to recover and reach US$6.3billion by the year 2027 trailing a post-COVID-19 CAGR of 2.9% over the analysis period 2020 to 2027.The COVID-19 pandemic is a rolling disaster, rapidly spreading and decimating industries and markets across the world. Petroleum refining, oil & gas exploration, chemical production, construction, manufacturing, infrastructure, industrial processing have all been alike impacted. The economic recession, rising unemployment, falling consumer spending, plummeting business confidence & investments have begun to bleed into these industries. The shattered oil & gas industry is facing its worst ever crisis, an overstocked supply market and a steep decline in demand. Choking economic activity over the last few months is sending shockwaves of disruption through the industry. From prices dipping to subzero to oil producers in the first time in history having to pay to dispose excess stocks, the industry has seen the worst. In this crisis of unimagined magnitude, CAPEX spending is worst hit. As business confidence plummets rapidly, major oil companies have already slashed planned CAPEX spending by almost US$89 billion in 1st quarter 2020. Currently for most oil giants worldwide higher prices are needed to breakeven. Breakeven prices for Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, and Russia include US$85, US$65, US$64, US$51, US$49, US$42, and US$40 respectively. As a culmination of these factors, the world witnessed negative oil prices become a shocking reality. As rising stockpiles overwhelmed storage facilities, the amount of oil stored on massive tankers on sea skyrocketed to over 160 million barrels in April 2020 as compared to the less than 100 million in April 2009 during the Great Recession. The entire O&G value chain is feeling the pain as upstream, midstream and downstream operations collapse under a domino effect. Against this backdrop, HSAW Pipes is already showing signs of slumping in the year 2020 as piped soil transport and distribution projects gets thrown into the backburner.

The construction industry is facing the brunt of labor migration, capital constraints and disruptions in construction material supply chain. Diversion of government funds from infrastructure development to pandemic firefighting has additionally impacted the construction industry, which is dependent to a large extent on infrastructure projects. In several countries, all non-essential construction projects have been put on hold with the exception of building emergency hospitals for COVID-19 care. Residential construction is taking a beating with millions of people worldwide pushed into unemployment as businesses either go bankrupt or layoff workforce to stay afloat. Unemployment rates are climbing to worrisome levels in both developed and developing economies alike. For the construction industry, this brings bad news as new housing starts go into deep freeze. The long shadow of the coronavirus is thwarting home-buying plans of consumers. Also, widening government deficits is reducing the appetite for smart cities. Public and private investments in smart cities are expected to plummet in the year 2020. With countries seeing a second wave of infections, the COVID-19 resurgence is likely to undermine the much awaited chances of a V-shaped recovery. Challenges of maintaining social distancing at construction sites is resulting in difficulties in obtaining project clearances from regulatory authorities. Ensuring raw material availability still remains a challenge for most construction contractors.

The market will nevertheless bounce back as the economies reopen and economic activity picks up momentum. Post COVID-19 recovery will be driven by recovery in exploration and production activity and strengthening oil prices. Few of the benefits of HSAW pipes over traditional longitudinal welded pipes (LSAW) pipes include lower cost; higher performance; greater versatility; overlapping inner and outer spiral weld design enhance pressure bearing resistance; high impact toughness; availability in assorted diameters and lengths of steel; good ductility; corrosion resistance; and smooth weld shapes. Advantages of utilizing submerged arc welding (SAW) as a technique to join seam edges large diameter pipes include safer for production workers at it reduces the risk of splattering and splashing of hot materials; lower risk of radiation emission; enables rapid welding of multiple thin metal sheets; high repeatability of the procedure; high heat concentration and higher welding speeds; uniform deposition of weld metal. In addition to construction and oil gas, other emerging application areas will offer opportunities for growth include hydrocarbon and process industry, water and sewerage, pipe piling, structural and industrial applications. Few of the other noteworthy factors that will influence growth in the market include creaking global infrastructure and increasing government policy led support for upgrades and modernization of aging water and oil pipeline infrastructure and the ensuing projected rise in replacement demand; changing energy mix, increase in natural gas production and increased growth opportunities for HSAW pipes in the oil & gas sector; and rising inter-regional supply of oil and gas and the ensuing demand for large outside diameter (OD) pipes. Asia-Pacific will remain a major market led by rapid urbanization and increased need for energy, water and gas distribution infrastructure. Sanitation and sewerage systems are also expected to receive a boost from denser urban habitations and the move towards smarter cities.