TRADE CASES HEADLINESTrade Cases
Commerce Preliminarily Finds Subsidization of OCTG from China
Sep. 10, 2009 The Department of Commerce announced its affirmative preliminary determination in the countervailing duty investigation on imports of certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from P.R. China.
Commerce preliminarily found that Chinese producers/exporters of OCTG have received net countervailable subsidies ranging from 10.90% to 30.69%.
Mandatory respondents Jiangsu Changbao Steel Tube Co., Ltd., Tianjin Pipe (Group) Co., Wuxi Seamless Pipe Co., Ltd., and Zhejiang Jianli Enterprise Co., Ltd. received preliminary subsidy rates of 24.33, 10.90, 24.92, and 30.69%, respectively. All other Chinese producers/exporters received a rate of 21.33%.
As a result of this determination, Commerce will instruct U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect a cash deposit or bond based on these preliminary rates.
Petitioners for this investigation are Maverick Tube Corp. (Texas); United States Steel Corp. (Pa.); TMK IPSCO (Ill.); V&M Star LP (Texas); Wheatland Tube Corp. (Pa.); Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel (Colo.); and United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIOCLC (Pa.).
Product covered by this investigation consists of OCTG, including oil well casing and tubing of iron (other than cast iron) or steel (both carbon and alloy), regardless of seams, end finish, conformance to American Petroleum Institute or other specifications, being finished, and thread protector attachment. OCTG coupling stock is also covered.
Excluded from the scope of this investigation is casing or tubing containing 10.5% or more by weight of chromium, drill pipe, unattached couplings, and unattached thread protectors.
From 2006 to 2008, imports of OCTG from China increased 203% by volume and were valued at an estimated $2.6 billion in 2008.
Commerce is currently scheduled to issue its final determination in November 2009. If it makes an affirmative final determination, and the U.S. International Trade Commission makes an affirmative final determination that imports of OCTG from China materially injure, or threaten material injury to, the domestic industry, Commerce will issue a countervailing duty order.