Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic Piping Systems Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material (Polyester, Vinylester, Epoxy), By Product (Pipes, Blinds, Elbows), And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2025

Industry Insights

The global Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic piping systems market size was estimated at USD 1.69 billion in 2017, registering a CAGR of 5.5% over the forecast period. Increasing penetration of GRP piping systems in onshore and offshore oilfields is expected to drive the product demand.

Glass fiber reinforced plastics piping systems are employed in the oil and gas industry for subsea piping systems, floating production storage, offshore platform piping systems, gas transmission lines, injection lines for gas and water, flow lines, crude oil transmission, exploration, and refinery piping systems. The rising hydrocarbon exploration and production activities are expected to propel the demand over the forecast period.

A rise in crude oil production particularly in the Middle East and Africa and North America, in both onshore and offshore oilfields, is expected to drive the market growth. In addition, the substantial increase in production in the associated oil and gas reserves globally is likely to impact the demand positively.

Furthermore, the market is governed by strict regulations for product use in construction and automobile applications. Specialty GRP piping systems products are expected to comply with the U.S. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards to be used for green buildings.

Soda ash, pitch resins, polyacrylonitrile fibers (PAN), rayon, and silica sand are among the key raw materials used in product manufacturing. Fluctuation in the prices for raw materials causes a variation in the rates for end-product as well. This factor is expected to hinder the growth of the Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastics (GRP) piping systems market over the forecast period.

Material Insights

Polyester resin witnessed a steady CAGR of 5.0% from 2018 to 2025 in terms of revenue on account of the ability of the resin to impart enhanced properties, such as resistance to corrosion and high strength and durability to GRP piping systems and fittings. In addition, polyester is used in combination with reinforcing agents and catalysts and chopped fibers for manufacturing pipes, tees, elbows, and reducers.

Vinylester GRP pipes and fittings have a higher temperature and chemical resistance and are less expensive as compared to polyester-based GRP pipes and fittings. In addition, these resins impart fire retardant properties to GRP piping systems, which aid in its extensive use in the production of GRP pipes used in oil and gas transportation and petrochemical industries.

Epoxy GRP pipes have low friction, which enhances the flow capacity of oil and gas resources through them. The properties of epoxy GRP pipes and fittings, including lightweight, high insulation, and high resistance to chemical attacks, abrasion, and corrosion, are expected to boost their demand in the oil and gas sector over the forecast period.

Furthermore, thermoplastic resins used for manufacturing GRP piping systems include polyvinylchloride (PVC), polypropylene, and polyethylene. Excellent stability and structure offered by the polyester, vinyl ester, epoxy, and thermoplastic, is expected to boost demand from high-performance applications including oil and gas refineries, and desalination plants.

Product Insights

Glass fiber reinforced plastics products are preferred over conventional metal and fiber-reinforced polymer products owing to their enhanced properties, such as anti-corrosion, high UV resistance, high load-bearing capacity, high strength and durability, and high abrasion resistance. These products include pipes, blinds, elbows, nozzles, reducers, and tees.

Pipes accounted for over 76.2% of the global market share in terms of revenue in 2017 on account of its utilization in the oil and gas industry, which is subjected to high corrosion due to the high water to oil ratios. Rising demand for anti-corrosive pipes in oil and gas refineries and desalination plants is expected to propel the growth of the GRP market over the forecast period.

Blinds manufactured using GRP are resistant to varying pressures, temperatures, and turbulence along with high durability. In addition, the flame retardant properties exhibited by these blinds aid its adoption in various applications in the oil and gas industry, transfer flammable fluids, thereby augmenting the product demand.

Glass fiber reinforced plastics nozzles have enhanced properties including leak-tight, anti-corrosive, abrasion-resistant, and pressure resistant. These nozzles are installed by the cold tapping method, wherein an existing depressurized and empty pipe is fitted with the nozzle. Furthermore, GRP reducers are resistant to high pressure and temperatures, along with high UV resistance, which is anticipated to augment the growth over the forecast period.

Regional Insights

Traditional pipeline construction has been a long-term undertaking, which has not met the pace of the rapidly increasing onshore domestic crude oil production in North America. The region contributed to 23.2% of the global market share in terms of revenue in 2017 on account of the presence of a large number of companies providing chemical processing solutions and industrial effluent water treatment.

Decreasing oil and gas consumption, owing to a shift of economy towards less Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and investments in chemical and sewage industries, is expected to drive demand in Europe. Epoxy glass fiber reinforced plastics pipes are projected to witness a growth in demand owing to an increase in natural gas exports from the European countries, such as Germany and U.K.

The market in Central and South America is influenced by the import of primary energy inputs through an extensive pipeline network. In addition, the rapid growth of end-user industries including oil and gas, water treatment, automotive, and construction in the emerging economies, such as Brazil and Argentina, is expected to propel the regional demand.

Fiberglass pipes market in Middle East and Africa is dominated by oil and gas exports and processing in the Middle East countries and irrigation industry in Africa. Moreover, rising concerns regarding environmental impacts coupled with cost-intensive nature of waste disposal processes in offshore projects are anticipated to drive the demand for oilfield services, and thereby the need for glass fiber reinforced plastics piping systems products over the forecast period.

Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic (GRP) Piping systems Market Share Insights

The market is competitive with the presence of a large number of market players equipped with niche technologies. Established players, such as PPG Industries Inc., Saudi Arabian Amiantit Co., and HOBAS, are investing in R & D to enhance their product portfolio and market position.

Manufacturers have been adopting various strategies, such as new product development, partnerships, agreements, collaborations, and joint ventures to increase their market penetration and to cater to the changing technological requirements of end-use applications.

Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2013 to 2025. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) piping systems market report on the basis of material, product, and region:

• Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2025)

  • Polyester

  • Vinylester

  • Epoxy

• Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2025)

  • Pipes

  • Blinds

  • Elbows

  • Nozzles

  • Reducers

  • Tees

• Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2013 - 2025)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • U.K.

    • Russia

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • India

    • Japan

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

  • Middle East & Africa