[Federal Register: May 8, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 89)] [Notices] [Page 25449-25450] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr08my98-28] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration [A-201-817] Oil Country Tubular Goods From Mexico; Initiation of Changed Circumstances Antidumping Duty Administrative Review AGENCY: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice of initiation of changed circumstances antidumping duty administrative review. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (the Department) is initiating a changed circumstances antidumping duty administrative review of the antidumping duty order on oil country tubular goods (``OCTG'') from Mexico. See Notice of Final Determination; Oil Country Tubular Goods from Mexico, 60 FR 33567 (June 28, 1995). Within the past year, the Department has received two requests to revoke the antidumping duty (AD) order covering OCTG from Mexico as it pertains to drill pipe with tool joints attached (commonly referred to as finished drill pipe). One was a request by the International Association of Drilling [[Page 25450]] Contractors that the Department self-initiate a changed circumstances review. The other request came from the leading producer of finished drill pipe in the United States, Grant Prideco. The latter request was withdrawn. We are initiating an antidumping duty changed circumstances administrative review to determine the extent of domestic industry support for continuing the antidumping duty order on OCTG from Mexico with regard to finished drill pipe. EFFECTIVE DATE: May 8, 1998. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John K. Drury or Richard Weible, Import Administration, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230; telephone (202) 482-3208 or (202) 482-1103, respectively. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background On July 8, 1997, the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) requested that the Department self-initiate a changed circumstances review with respect to finished drill pipe. On March 13, 1998, the Department responded to the IADCO request. On January 28, 1998, Grant Prideco, Inc. requested revocation of the AD order on Mexican OCTG with respect to finished drill pipe. The Department received letters in opposition to this second request from OMSCO Industries and Drill Pipe Industries, Inc. on February 12, 1998, and February 13, 1998, respectively. On March 16, 1998, Grant Prideco withdrew its request for a changed circumstances review. Since the Department's response to IADC on March 13, 1998, parties have raised questions regarding whether substantially all of the domestic industry supports continuation of the AD order on OCTG from Mexico with respect to finished drill pipe. Therefore, in light of the request originally filed by Grant Prideco and the information available to the Department, the Department believes a changed circumstances review is warranted. The Department intends to examine thoroughly the domestic producers of the like product to determine which companies are no longer interested in the portion of the order with respect to finished drill pipe. The Department will conduct this review as expeditiously as possible, allowing opportunity for all parties to comment. The Department will not revoke the order, in part, unless domestic producers accounting for substantially all of the like product have expressed lack of interest in maintaining the order with respect to drill pipe. The Department interprets ``substantially all'' to mean at least 85 percent of domestic production of the like product. This review is to determine the level of support of domestic producers of the like product for maintaining this order with respect to finished drill pipe. Applicable Statute and Regulations Unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the statute are references to the provisions effective January 1, 1995, the effective date of the amendments made to the Tariff Act by the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, all citations to the Department's regulations are to the current regulations. Scope of the Review The merchandise subject to this changed circumstances review, is finished oil well drill pipe with tool joints attached. This merchandise is currently classifiable in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) under item number 8431.43.8010 as ``Parts suitable for use solely or principally with the machinery of headings 8425 to 8430, [o]f machinery of heading 8426, 8429 or 8430: [p]arts for boring or sinking machinery of subheading 8430.41 or 8430.49: [o]ther: [o]f oil and gas field machinery.'' Although the HTSUS subheadings are provided for convenience and customs purposes, our written description of the scope of this review is dispositive. Initiation of Changed Circumstances Antidumping Duty Order Administrative Review Pursuant to section 751(b)(1) of the Tariff Act, the Department will conduct a changed circumstances administrative review upon receipt of information concerning, or a request from an interested party for a review of, an antidumping duty order which shows changed circumstances sufficient to warrant a review of the order. In accordance with section 751(b) and 19 CFR 351.216(b)(4) and 19 CFR 351.216(d), we are initiating a changed circumstances administrative review. We invite all parties to provide comments on whether domestic producers of the like product no longer have an interest in maintaining the order with respect to finished drill pipe from Mexico within seven days of publication of this notice of initiation. The Department will publish in the Federal Register a notice of preliminary results of changed circumstances antidumping duty administrative review, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.216(b)(4) and 19 CFR 351.221(c)(3). The Department will issue its final results of review in accordance with 19 CFR 351.216(e). All written comments must be submitted in accordance with 19 CFR 351.303 and must be served on all interested parties on the Department's service list in accordance with the same provision. This notice is in accordance with section 751(b)(1) of the Tariff Act and section 351.221(b)(1) of the Department's regulations. Dated: May 1, 1998. Robert S. LaRussa, Assistant Secretary for Import Administration. [FR Doc. 98-12203 Filed 5-7-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P