On April 8, the U.S. International Trade Commission launched a preliminary investigation into charges that China is subsidizing sales of certain oil country tubular goods. On April 23 the ITC ruled in the affirmative on one of two complaints that China is dumping circular welded carbon quality steel line pipe used for oil and gas pipelines with an outside diameter of not more than 16 inches. Those imports were valued at $154 million in 2007. The Dept. of Commerce will follow up with antidumping duties.
The investigation was in response to a petition filed by Maverick Tube, U. S. Steel, V&M Tubular, TMK IPSCO, Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel, Wheatland Tube and a couple of steel industry unions. The petitioning companies represent about 90% of this country’s OCTG market.
China sold an estimated $2.7 billion worth of OCTG imports last year. Those imports have reportedly tripled from 750,000 tons in 2006 to 2.2 million tons in 2008.
Also, the ITC voted unanimously on March 24 not to revoke the existing antidumping duty order on malleable cast iron pipe fittings from China.
