US sets preliminary dumping margins on Emirati OCTG firms

The US Department of Commerce has preliminarily determined that certain oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from the UAE are being sold in the US at less than fair value, proposing antidumping duty margins of up to 68.88pct.

Ajmal Steel Tubes and Pipes Industries received a preliminary dumping margin of 68.88pct, while Universal Tube and Pipe Industries FZE and THL Pipe and Tube Industries LLC, treated as a single entity in the preliminary determination, received a margin of 61.45pct. All other UAE producers and exporters were assigned a preliminary rate of 68.23pct.

The investigation covers the period from April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. The Department of Commerce initiated the antidumping investigation in April 2026 following petitions from US OCTG producers and the United Steelworkers union.

The products covered include OCTG, which are hollow steel products of circular cross-section, including oil well casing and tubing made from carbon or alloy steel. Both seamless and welded products are covered, whether finished or unfinished and regardless of whether they conform to API or non-API specifications. OCTG coupling stock is also included within the scope.

The products are classified under a range of US Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes, primarily covering seamless, welded and large-diameter tubular products under Chapters 7304, 7305 and 7306. Certain products, including drill pipe and casing or tubing containing 10.5pct or more chromium by weight, are excluded from the scope.

Following the preliminary affirmative determination, US Customs authorities will suspend liquidation and require cash deposits based on the preliminary dumping margins for relevant entries.

The final determination in the UAE investigation is expected in early 2027, while the US International Trade Commission is conducting a separate investigation into whether the imports have caused material injury to the domestic industry.