Analysts Future Market Insights report that robust expansion of the global market for oil & gas pipeline coatings over 2019 – 2029 will reach US$ 7 Bn. Growing offshore exploration and production activities, stabilizing crude oil prices, rise in cross-country pipeline projects and rehabilitation of existing pipelines are some of the key factors that would majorly account for the increasing demand for oil & gas pipeline coatings in the market.
Fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE) coatings, attributing to their low coefficient of friction and low permeability, create a tight barrier that prevents the permeation of cold and hot liquids as long as it is applied correctly. This property would continue to position them as a preferred choice for oil & gas pipeline coatings.
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The Asia Pacific region, which has more than 10,000 miles of pipeline under construction and further over 9,750 miles of planned pipeline projects, is likely to reflect robust growth opportunities facing players operating in the oil & gas pipeline coatings market.
With crude oil prices recovering, investments in the oil & gas industry are projected to rise by 6% between 2017 and 2025. These will fuel exploration & production activities around the world, propelling oil & gas pipeline coatings demand.
In the upstream segment, although the onshore sector constitutes most of the market share, the offshore sector, driven by increasing investments, is estimated to witness robust growth in the oil & gas pipeline coatings market.
Stringent regulations pertaining to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions are anticipated to impede the growth of solvent-based oil & gas pipeline coatings, which are prone to VOC emissions during the drying process.
Pipe laying in deep waters or high operating temperatures, and increasing corrosive properties of flow materials have been driving advancements in pipeline coatings. These advances such as thermal insulation will bring forth a range of new technological frontiers in the pipeline coatings space in the near future.
Market Landscape Moving towards Consolidation
The oil & gas pipeline coatings market is technology driven and remains dominated by a handful of players that possess extensive R&D capabilities. Leading players operating in the global oil & gas pipeline coatings market, Akzo Nobel N.V., PPG INDUSTRIES, Sherwin-Williams Company, Axalta Coating Systems, RPM International Inc., and BASF SE, are focusing on acquisitions of smaller and technology-driven paint & coating manufacturers to build on their product expertise and enhance market positioning.
What Does The Future Hold?
Crude oil prices are extremely volatile in nature, affected by growing U.S. oil & gas production, OPEC production cuts, and oversupply of crude oil. Considering the number of pipeline projects in the construction phase and older, existing pipelines in need of reconditioning, the oil & gas pipeline coatings market is projected to witness robust growth during the forecast period.