TRADE CASES HEADLINESTrade Cases
Commerce Initiates Investigations of Drill Pipe from China
Jan. 22, 2010 The U.S. Department of Commerce has initiated antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations on imports of drill pipe from P.R. China.
Drill pipe includes heavy weight drill pipe and drill collars of iron or steel used in oil drilling applications. The scope of these investigations does not include tool joints not attached to the drill pipe, nor does it include unfinished tubes for casing or tubing covered by any other AD or CVD order.
From 2006 to 2008, imports of drill pipe from China increased 106% by volume. Based on pieces, imports of drill pipe with tool joints attached increased 24% by volume from 2006 to 2008. The combined imports of drill pipe and drill pipe with tool joints attached were valued at an estimated $195 million in 2008.
Petitioners for these investigations are VAM Drilling USA, Inc.; Texas Steel Conversions, Inc.; Rotary Drilling Tools; TMK IPSCO; and the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO-CLC.
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to make its preliminary injury determination on or about February 16, 2010. If the ITC determines that there is a reasonable indication that imports from China are materially injuring, or threatening material injury to, the domestic industry, the investigations will continue. In that case, Commerce will be scheduled to make its CVD preliminary determination in March 2010 and its AD preliminary determination in June 2010.