MESSAGE NO: 8170113 DATE: 06 19 1998
CATEGORY: ADA TYPE: FNO
REFERENCE: REFERENCE DATE:
CASES: A - 475 - 814 - -
- - - -
- - - -

PERIOD COVERED: 06 19 1998 TO

LIQ SUSPENSION DATE:

TO: CMC DIRECTORS,
PORT DIRECTORS

FROM: DIRECTOR, IMPORT OPERATIONS

RE: ANTIDUMPNG DUTY AMENDED ORDER IN THE INVESTIGATION OF
CERTAIN SMALL DIAMETER SEAMLESS CARBON & ALLOY STEEL
STANDARD LINE & PRESSSURE PIPE FROM ITALY (A-475-814)

1. ON JUNE 10, 1998, THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PUBLISHED IN THE
FEDERAL REGISTER ITS AMENDED ANTIDUMPING DUTY ORDER AND FINAL
DETERMINATION IN THE INVESTIGATION OF CERTAIN SMALL DIAMETER SEAMLESS
CARBON AND ALLOY STEEL STANDARD, LINE AND PRESSURE PIPE FROM ITALY.
THIS IS AN AMENDMENT OF MESSAGE NUMBER 517111 ON JUNE 20, 1995.

2. THE SOCPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION INCLUDES SMALL DIAMETER SEAMLESS
CARBON AND ALLOY STEEL STANDARD, LINE AND PRESSURE PIPES
(SEAMLESS PIPES) PRODUCED TO THE ASTM A-335, ASTMA-106, ASTM A-53 AND
API 5L SPECIFICATIONS AND MEETING THE PHYSICAL PARAMETERS DESCRIBED
BELOW, REGARDLESS OF APPLICATION. THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION ALSO
INCLUDES ALL PRODUCTS USED IN STANDARD, LINE, OR PRESSURE PIPE
APPLICATIONS AND MEETING THE PHYSICAL PARAMETERS BELOW, REGARDLESS OF
SPECIFICATION.

FOR PURPOSES OF THIS INVESTIGATION, SEAMLESS PIPES ARE SEAMLESS CARBON
AND ALLOY (OTHER THAN STAINLESS) STEEL PIPES, OF CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION,
NOT MORE THAN 114.3 MM (4.5 INCHES) IN OUTSIDE DIAMETER, REGARDLESS OF
WALL THICKNESS, MANUFACTURING PROCESS (HOT-FINISHED OR COLD-DRAWN), END
FINISH (PLAIN END, BEVELLED END, UPSET END, THREADED, OR THREADED AND
COUPLED), OR SURFACE FINISH. THESE PIPES ARE COMMONLY KNOWN AS
STANDARD PIPE, LINE PIPE OR PRESSURE PIPE, DEPENDING UPON THE
APPLICATION. THEY MAY ALSO BE USED IN STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS. PIPES
PRODUCED IN NON-STANDARD WALL THICKNESSES ARE COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS
TUBES. THE SEAMLESS PIPES SUBJECT TO THIS INVESTIGATION ARE CURRENTLY
CLASSIFIABLE UNDER SUBHEADINGS 7304.10.10.20, 7304.10.50.20,
7304.31.60.50, 7304.39.00.16, 7304.39.00.20, 7304.39.00.24,
7304.39.00.28, 7304.39.00.32, 7304.51.50.05, 7304.51.50.60,
7304.59.60.00, 7304.59.80.10, 7304.59.80.15, 7304.59.80.20, AND
7304.59.80.25 OF THE HARMONIZED TARIFF SCHEDULE OF THE UNITED STATES
(HTSUS). THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FURTHER DEFINES THE SCOPE OF THIS
INVESTIGATION, WHICH COVERS PIPES MEETING THE PHYSICAL PARAMETERS
DESCRIBED ABOVE: SPECIFICATION CHARACTERISTICS AND USES: SEAMLESS
PRESSURE PIPES ARE INTENDED FOR THE CONVEYANCE OF WATER, STEAM,
PETROCHEMICALS, CHEMICALS, OIL PRODUCTS, NATURAL GAS AND OTHER LIQUIDS
AND GASSES IN INDUSTRIAL PIPING SYSTEMS. THEY MAY CARRY THESE
SUBSTANCES AT ELEVATED PRESSURES AND TEMPERATURES AND MAY BE SUBJECT
TO THE APPLICATION OF EXTERNAL HEAT. SEAMLESS CARBON STEEL PRESSURE
PIPE MEETING THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS (ASTM)
STANDARDA-106 MAY BE USED IN TEMPERATURES OF UP TO 1000 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT, AT VARIOUS AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS (ASME)
CODE STRESS LEVELS. ALLOY PIPES MADE TO ASTM STANDARD A-335 MUST BE
USED IF TEMPERATURES AND TRESS LEVELS EXCEED THOSE ALLOWED FOR A-106
AND THE ASME CODES. SEAMLESS PRESSURE PIPES SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES
ARE COMMONLY PRODUCEDTO THE ASTM A-106STANDARD. SEAMLESS STANDARD
PIPESARE MOST COMMONLY PRODUCED TO THE ASTMA-53 SPECIFICATION AND
GENERALLY ARE NOT INTENDED FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE SERVICE. THEY ARE
INTENDED FOR THE LOW TEMPERATUREAND PRESSURE CONVEYANCE OF WATER,
STEAM, NATURAL GAS, AIR AND OTHER LIQUIDS AND GASSES IN PLUMBING AND
HEATING SYSTEMS, AIR CONDITIONING UNITS, AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS,
AND OTHER RELATED USES. STANDARD PIPES (DEPENDING ON TYPE AND CODE)
MAY CARRY LIQUIDS AT ELEVATED TEMPERATURES BUT MUST NOT EXCEED RELEVANT
ASME CODE REQUIREMENTS. SEAMLESS LINE PIPES ARE INTENDED FOR THE
CONVEYANCE OF OIL AND NATURAL GAS OR OTHER FLUIDS IN PIPE LINES.
SEAMLESS LINE PIPES ARE PRODUCED TO THE API 5L SPECIFICATION. SEAMLESS
PIPES ARE COMMONLY PRODUCED AND CERTIFIED TO MEET ASTM A-106, ASTM A-53
AND API 5L SPECIFICATIONS. SUCH TRIPLE CERTIFICATION OF PIPES IS COMMON
BECAUSE ALL PIPES MEETING THE STRINGENT A-106 SPECIFICATION NECESSARILY
MEET THE API 5L AND ASTM A-53 SPECIFICATIONS. PIPES MEETING THE API 5L
SPECIFICATION NECESSARILY MEET THE ASTM A-53 SPECIFICATION. HOWEVER,
PIPES MEETING THE A-53 OR API 5L SPECIFICATIONS DO NOT NECESSARILY MEET
THE A-106 SPECIFICATION. TO AVOID MAINTAINING SEPARATE PRODUCTION RUNS
AND SEPARATE INVENTORIES, MANUFACTURES TRIPLE CERTIFY THE PIPES. SINCE
DISTRIBUTORS SELL THE VAST MAJORITY OF THIS PRODUCT, THEY CAN THEREBY
MAINTAIN A SINGLE INVENTORY TO SERVICE ALL CUSTOMERS. THE PRIMARY
APPLICATION OF ASTMA-106 PRESSURE PIPES AND TRIPLE CERTIFIED PIPES IS IN
PRESSURE PIPING SYSTEMS BY REFINERIES, PETROCHEMICAL PLANTS AND CHEMICAL
PLANTS. OTHERAPPLICATIONS ARE IN POWER GENERATION PLANTS
(ELECTRICAL-FOSSIL FUEL OR NUCLEAR), AND IN SOME OIL FIELD USES (ON
SHORE AND OFF SHORE) SUCH AS FOR SEPARATOR LINES, GATHERING LINES AND
METERING RUNS. A MINOR APPLICATION OF THIS PRODUCT IS FOR USE AS OIL
AND GAS DISTRIBUTION LINES FOR COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS. THESE
APPLICATIONS CONSTITUTE THE MAJORITY OF THE MARKET FOR THE SUBJECT
SEAMLESS PIPES. HOWEVER, A-106 PIPES MAY BE USED IN SOME BOILER
APPLICATIONS. THE SCOPE OF THIS IVESTIGATION INCLUDES ALL SEAMLESS
PIPE MEETING THE PHYSICAL PARAMETERS DESCRIBED ABOVE AND PRODUCED TO
ONE OF THE SPECIFICATIONS LISTED ABOVE,REGARDLESS OF APPLICATION, AND
WHETHER OR NOT ALSO CERTIFIED TO A NON-COVERED SPECIFICATION. STANDARD,
LINE AND PRESSURE APPLICATIONS AND THE ABOVE-LISTED SPECIFICATIONS ARE
DEFINING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION. THEREFORE,
SEAMLESS PIPES MEETING THE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION ABOVE, BUT NOT PRODUCED
TO THE A-335, A-106, A-53,OR API 5L STANDARDS SHALL BE COVERED IF USED
IN THE STANDARD, LINE OR PRESSURE APPLICATION. FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE
CERTAIN OTHER ASTM SPECIFICATIONS OF PIPE WHICH, BECAUSE OF OVERLAPPING
CHARACTERISTICS, COULD POTENTIALLY BE USED IN A-106 APPLICATIONS. THESE
SPECIFICATIONS GENERALLY INCLUDE A-162, A-192, A-210, A-333, AND A-524.
WHEN SUCH PIPES ARE USED A STANDARD, LINE OR PRESSURE PIPE APPLICATION,
SUCH PRODUCTS ARE COVERED BY THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION.
SPECIFICALLY EXCLUDED FROM THIS INVESTIGATION ARE BOILER TUBING AND
MECHANICAL TUBING, IF SUCH PRODUCTS ARE NOT PRODUCED TO A-335, A-106,
A-53 OR API 5L SPECIFICATIONS AND ARE NOT USED IN STANDARD, LINE OR
PRESSURE APPLICATIONS. IN ADDITION, FINISHED AND UNFINISHED OCTG ARE
EXCLUDED FROM THE SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION, IF COVERED BY THE SCOPE
OF ANOTHER ANTIDUMPING DUTY ORDER FROM THE SAME COUNTRY. IF NOT
COVERED BY SUCH AN OCTG ORDER, FINISHED AND UNFINISHED OCTG ARE
INCLUDED IN THIS SCOPE WHEN USED IN STANDARD, LINE OR PRESSURE
APPLICATIONS. FINALLY, ALSO EXCLUDED FROM THIS INVESTIGATION ARE
REDRA WHOLLOWS FOR COLD-DRAWNING WHEN USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF
COLD-DRAWN PIPEOR TUBE. ALTHOUGH THE HTSUS SUBHEADINGS ARE PROVIDED
FOR CONVENIENCE AND CUSTOMS PURPOSES, OUR WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE
SCOPE OF THIS INVESTIGATION IS DISPOSITIVE.

3. FOR FURTHER REPORTING PURPOSES THIS CASE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED
INVESTIGATION NUMBER A-475-814.

4. FOR IMPORT OF CERTAIN SMALL DIAMETER SEAMLESS CARBON AND ALLOY STEEL
STANDARD, LINE AND PRESSURE PIPE FROM ITALY, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE SHALL
SUSPEND LIQUIDATION OF SUCH SHIPMENTS ENTERED OR WITHDRAWN FROM
WAREHOUSE, FOR CONSUMPTION ON OR AFTER JUNE 19, 1995. EFFECTIVE AUGUST
3, 1995 CUSTOMS SHALL REQUIRE A CASH DEPOSIT EQUAL TO THE (MARGIN RATE)
SHOWN BELOW:

MFR/PRODUCER CUSTOMS ID (MARGIN/AD VALOREM)
EXPORTER NUMBER PERCENTAGE RATE

DALMINE S.P.A. A-475-814-001 1.27%
ALL OTHER COMPANIES A-475-814-000 1.27%

6. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS MATTER BY CUSTOMS OFFICE,
PLEASE CONTACT VIA E-MAIL, THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE SUPERVISORY CHANNELS,
OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY LIAISON, USING THE ATTRIBUTE "HQ OAB." THE
IMPORTING PUBLIC AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES SHOULD CONTACT KATHERINE
JOHNSON, OFFICE OF AD/CVD ENFORCEMENT, IMPORT ADMINISTRATION,
INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, AT
(202) 482-4929.

7. THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS ON THE RELEASE OF THIS INFORMATION.

PAUL SCHWARTZ