2018-02898. Oil Country Tubular Goods From the Republic of Turkey: Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review

AGENCY:

Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce (Commerce) has completed its administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) order on oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from the Republic of Turkey (Turkey). The period of review (POR) is January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015. We have determined that Borusan Mannesmann Boru Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. (Borusan), the only mandatory respondent, received countervailable subsidies at de minimis levels during the POR.

DATES:

Applicable February 14, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Jennifer Shore or Aimee Phelan, AD/CVD Operations, Office I, Enforcement and Compliance, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone: [phone] or [phone], respectively.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

On October 6, 2017, Commerce published the Preliminary Results of this CVD administrative review in the Federal Register.^[1] For a description of the events that occurred since the Preliminary Results, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.^[2] Commerce has exercised its discretion to toll deadlines for the duration of the closure of the Federal Government from January 20 through 22, 2018. If the new deadline falls on a non-business day, in accordance with Commerce's practice, the deadline will become the next business day. The revised deadline for the final results of this review is now February 6, 2018.^[3]

Scope of the Order

The merchandise covered by the order is certain OCTG, which are hollow steel products of circular cross-section, including oil well casing and tubing, of iron (other than cast iron) or steel (both carbon and alloy), whether seamless or welded, regardless of end finish (e.g., whether or not plain end, threaded, or threaded and coupled) whether or not conforming to American Petroleum Institute (API) or non-API specifications, whether finished (including limited service OCTG products) or unfinished (including green tubes and limited service OCTG products), whether or not thread protectors are attached. The scope of the order also covers OCTG coupling stock. A full description of the scope of the order is contained in the Issues and Decision Memorandum.^[4]

Analysis of Comments Received

The only issue raised by interested parties, “Whether to Include Exchange Rate Income or Loss in the Sales Denominator,” is addressed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and Compliance's Antidumping and CVD Centralized Electronic Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at https://access.trade.gov;​; the Issues and Decision Memorandum is available to all parties in the Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of the main Commerce building. In addition, a complete version of the Issues and Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly on the internet http://enforcement.trade.gov/​frn/​. The signed and electronic versions of the Issues and Decision Memorandum are identical in content.

Methodology

We conducted this review in accordance with section 751(a)(1)(A) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (the Act). For each of the subsidy programs found to be countervailable during the POR, we find that there is a subsidy, i.e., a government-provided financial contribution that gives rise to a benefit to the recipient, and that the subsidy is specific.^[5] For a full description of the methodology underlying our conclusions, see the Issues and Decision Memorandum.

Final Results of the Review

In accordance with 19 CFR 351.221(b)(5), we determine the following net countervailable subsidy rate for Borusan, for the period January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015:

Company	Subsidy rate (percent ad valorem)
Borusan Mannesmann Boru Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S.6	0.48 percent (de minimis).

Disclosure

We will disclose to the parties in this proceeding the calculations performed for these final results within five days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register.^[7]

Assessment Rates

In accordance with 19 CFR 351.212(b)(2), Commerce intends to issue appropriate assessment instructions to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 15 days after publication of these final results of review, to liquidate shipments of subject merchandise produced by Borusan entered, or withdrawn from warehouse, for consumption on or after January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015, without regard to countervailing duties.

Cash Deposit Requirements

In accordance with section 751(a)(1) of the Act, we intend to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits at a rate of zero percent, because the rate calculated for Borusan in these final results is de minimis. For all non-reviewed firms, we will instruct CBP to continue to collect cash deposits at the most recent company-specific or all-others rate applicable to the company, as appropriate. These cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until further notice.

Administrative Protective Orders

This notice also serves as a reminder to parties subject to an administrative protective order (APO) of their responsibility concerning the disposition of proprietary information disclosed under APO in accordance with 19 CFR 351.305(a)(3). Timely written notification of the return or destruction of APO materials or conversion to judicial protective order is hereby requested. Failure to comply with the regulations and terms of an APO is a sanctionable violation.

We are issuing and publishing these final results of review in accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i) of the Act and 19 CFR 351.221(b)(5).

Dated: February 6, 2018.

Gary Taverman,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix I—List of Topics Discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum

I. Summary

II. Background

III. Comments Raised by the Parties

IV. Scope of the Order

V. Subsidies Valuation Information

VI. Benchmark Interest Rates

VII. Analysis of Programs

VIII. Analysis of Comment

IX. Recommendation

Footnotes

1.  See Oil Country Tubular Goods from the Republic of Turkey: Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Review and Rescission of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review, in Part, 82 FR 46767 (October 6, 2017) (Preliminary Results) and accompanying Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

2.  See Memorandum, “Issues and Decision Memorandum for the Final Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review of Oil Country Tubular Goods from the Republic of Turkey; 2015,” dated concurrently with, and hereby adopted by, this notice (Issues and Decision Memorandum).

3.  See Memorandum for The Record from Christian Marsh, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, performing the non-exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, “Deadlines Affected by the Shutdown of the Federal Government” (Tolling Memorandum), dated January 23, 2018. All deadlines in this segment of the proceeding have been extended by 3 days.

4.  See Issues and Decision Memorandum at 2-3.

5.  See sections 771(5)(B) and (D) of the Act regarding financial contribution; section 771(5)(E) of the Act regarding benefit; and, section 771(5A) of the Act regarding specificity.

6.  As discussed in the Issues and Decision Memorandum, Commerce has found the following company to be cross-owned with Borusan: Borusan Istikbal Ticaret.

7.  See 19 CFR 351.224(b).