The U.S. Dept. of Commerce has imposed import duties of up to 31% on steel pipe from China, agreeing with a complaint filed by American producers and steelworkers that the imports were unfairly subsidized by China’s government.
The average duties on the pipe, used in oil and gas wells and known in the industry as oil-country tubular products, will be 21.3%, according to Commerce. Roughly $2.8 billion in Chinese steel pipe is imported annually, but industry analysts say that could fall off sharply, or even completely, because of the tariffs. That drop could help complainant U.S. Steel and other domestic producers rebound from a drop in demand following last year’s collapse in oil prices.