What is spiral welded pipe?
SAWH (submerged-arc welded helical) pipe is made by feeding hot-rolled coil at an angle into a forming cage so the strip spirals into a cylinder; the seam is welded by submerged arc from inside and outside as the pipe advances, then cut to length, X-rayed or ultrasonically tested and hydro-tested. Because the diameter depends only on the strip width and entry angle, any size from 406 to 2 540 mm can be made from standard coil at short notice, and long lengths (up to 18 m) are natural. It is the standard pipe for piling, water transmission, culverts, casing and large structural members; longitudinally welded (LSAW) pipe is preferred only for high-pressure oil and gas lines above X60.
Diameter, wall and weight table
| OD (mm) | NPS | Wall 6 mm | Wall 8 mm | Wall 10 mm | Wall 12 mm | Wall 16 mm | Wall 20 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 406.4 | 16" | 59.2 | 78.6 | 97.8 | 117 | 154 | 191 |
| 508.0 | 20" | 74.3 | 98.6 | 123 | 147 | 194 | 241 |
| 610.0 | 24" | 89.4 | 119 | 148 | 177 | 234 | 291 |
| 711.0 | 28" | 104 | 139 | 173 | 207 | 274 | 341 |
| 813.0 | 32" | 119 | 159 | 198 | 237 | 314 | 391 |
| 914.0 | 36" | 134 | 179 | 223 | 267 | 354 | 441 |
| 1 016 | 40" | 149 | 199 | 248 | 297 | 395 | 491 |
| 1 220 | 48" | 180 | 239 | 298 | 357 | 475 | 592 |
| 1 422 | 56" | 209 | 279 | 348 | 417 | 555 | 691 |
| 1 626 | 64" | 240 | 319 | 399 | 478 | 635 | 792 |
| 2 032 | 80" | — | 399 | 499 | 598 | 796 | 992 |
| 2 540 | 100" | — | — | 624 | 748 | 996 | 1 243 |
Wall 5–25 mm depending on diameter (D/t ≥ 40 typical); lengths 6, 12, 18 m and cut lengths.
Standards and grades by application
| Application | Standard | Grade | Test / coating | Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation piles (ports, bridges, buildings) | ASTM A252 Gr. 2/3, EN 10219 S355J2H, EN 10210 | S355J2H / Gr. 3 (310 MPa) | Weld UT, hydro optional; bare or epoxy | Plain / bevelled, shoe, splice connector |
| Water transmission and irrigation | EN 10224, AWWA C200, API 5L Gr B | L235 / L275 / L355 (EN 10224) | Hydro, X-ray/UT; PE / epoxy outside, cement-mortar or epoxy inside | Bevelled, spigot-socket for welding |
| Well casing, dewatering | API 5L Gr B, EN 10219 | S235JRH / Gr B | Hydro; bare | Plain, threaded couplings on request |
| Culverts, drainage, conveyor tubes | EN 10219, AS/NZS 1163 | S235JRH | Weld UT; HDG or bitumen | Plain, bands |
| Structural columns, sign gantries, wind-tower internals | EN 10219 / EN 10210 | S355J2H | UT, 3.1; blast + primer | Cut, end plates |
| Oil & gas gathering lines | API 5L PSL2 | X42–X65 | Full NDT, hydro; 3LPE | Bevelled 30° |
Coatings and linings
External: fusion-bonded epoxy (250–500 µm, EN 10289 / AWWA C213), 3-layer polyethylene (EN 10288 / DIN 30670, 2.5–3.5 mm), polyurethane (EN 10290), coal-tar or bitumen wrap, or hot-dip galvanizing to 1 200 mm. Internal: cement-mortar lining (EN 10298 / AWWA C205) for water, liquid epoxy (EN 10339) for potable water, or bare. Cut-back at ends for field joints per project. Piling pipe is usually bare or shop-primed.
Ends, connectors and accessories
- Plain square-cut or bevelled 30° ends for welding
- Pile shoes (conical, flat, rock points) and driving heads
- Splice sleeves / weld-on connectors for piles
- Spigot-and-socket (slip) joints for water pipe field welding
- Flanged ends (EN 1092-1 / AWWA C207) on request
- Bends, tees and reducers fabricated from the same pipe
Testing and certification
Weld seams inspected 100% by ultrasonic and/or X-ray, hydrostatic test to the standard (EN 10224: up to 1.3 × design pressure), tensile and bend tests per heat, dimensional and straightness reports; EN 10204 3.1 standard, 3.2 with third-party inspector (LR, BV, SGS, TÜV) for piling and water projects; API monogram for API 5L from licensed mills.
Spiral pipe price per ton
Priced per ton per project lot: as a guide bare S235JRH / Grade B spiral pipe sits 5–15% above the hot-rolled coil band on the HR coil page, S355J2H and API X-grades 5–12% more, coatings and linings per m² on top. Firm price per size list within two working days.
Bands from our weekly export list (September 2026), FOB Istanbul, full-container quantities, excluding freight and certificates. Firm price per project on RFQ within one working day.
Export: breakbulk and flat-rack
Pipe above 12" ships breakbulk from Derince, Gemlik or Ambarlı (lots from 100 t, pipes nested where diameters allow, chocked and lashed) or on 40' flat-racks (1–3 pipes to 12 m); small diameters (16"–24") in 40' open-top containers. Coated pipe travels on padded bearers with end caps. HS code 7305.19 / 7305.31 / 7305.39 (welded pipe > 406.4 mm) or 7306 for smaller.
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| MOQ | 100 t breakbulk or 1 flat-rack (≈ 30 t) |
| Incoterms | FOB Derince / Gemlik · CIF / CFR Gulf, Red Sea, Africa · DAP Iraq (Habur), Balkans, Caucasus |
| Lead time | 3–6 weeks per lot; coating +1–2 weeks |
| Packing | Nested / single, chocked and lashed on bearers; caps; padding for coated pipe |
| Container / truck | Breakbulk any size · 40' flat-rack / open-top to 24" (≈ 25–30 t) · truck 24 t (≤ 13.6 m) |
| Documents | EN 10204 3.1/3.2, NDT / hydro / coating reports, API certificate, certificate of origin; SASO / SONCAP / COC / EAC on request |
| Payment | 30% advance, balance against B/L copy; L/C at sight via London office; project terms per contract |
Certificates
EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2, NDT and hydro reports, coating reports (thickness, holiday test), API 5L certificate, certificate of origin; SASO, SONCAP, COC, EAC arranged.
How to order
Send OD × wall, standard and grade, length, quantity in tons or metres, ends and connectors, coating/lining, inspection level and port. Reply within two working days with price per ton and per metre, weights and the shipping plan.
Standards
- EN 10219-1/-2 (cold-formed welded structural hollow sections — SAWH)
- EN 10224 (non-alloy steel tubes for water and aqueous liquids)
- API 5L PSL1/PSL2 (line pipe, Grade B–X70)
- ASTM A252 Grade 2 / 3 (welded and seamless steel pipe piles)
- EN 10210 (hot-finished equivalents), AWWA C200 (water)
- Coatings: EN 10289 / EN 10290 (epoxy / PE), AWWA C210, EN 10298 (cement mortar lining)
Grades
Grade data sheets (chemistry, mechanicals, equivalents) are on our reference site: S235JR · S355J2 · S355 plate
Frequently asked questions
What is spiral welded pipe used for?
Foundation piles for ports, bridges and buildings; water transmission and irrigation mains; well casing and dewatering; culverts and drainage; structural columns and gantries; low-pressure oil and gas gathering lines — anything above 400 mm diameter.
Is spiral pipe as strong as seamless or LSAW?
For piling, water and structural use yes — it is made to the same grades (S355J2H, API 5L Gr B–X65) with 100% weld NDT. High-pressure oil and gas trunk lines above X60 usually specify LSAW; seamless is limited to about 24".
What sizes are available?
406 to 2 540 mm outside diameter, wall 5–25 mm, lengths 6, 12 and 18 m or cut to order; any intermediate diameter is possible because the size comes from the strip width and spiral angle.
What is ASTM A252?
The US standard for welded and seamless steel pipe piles: Grade 2 (241 MPa yield) and Grade 3 (310 MPa) — the usual spec for driven piles in Gulf and African port and bridge projects; EN 10219 S355J2H is the European equivalent.
Can the pipe be coated and lined?
Yes — epoxy, 3LPE, polyurethane or bitumen outside; cement-mortar or epoxy lining inside; galvanized to 1 200 mm; cut-backs for field joints per project.
How is large pipe shipped?
Breakbulk from Derince / Gemlik in lots from 100 t (pipes nested where possible), 40' flat-racks or open-tops up to 24" (25–30 t), trucks to 13.6 m for the Balkans, Iraq and the Caucasus.
How much does spiral pipe cost per ton?
About 5–15% above hot-rolled coil for bare S235JRH / Grade B, more for S355J2H, X-grades, coatings and linings. Firm price per project within two working days.