[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39797-39798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17097]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[C-489-817]


Oil Country Tubular Goods From the Republic of Turkey: 
Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2017

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Commerce) preliminarily determines 
that certain producers and exporters of oil country tubular goods 
(OCTG) from the Republic of Turkey (Turkey) received countervailable 
subsidies during the period of review (POR) January 1, 2017, through 
December 31, 2017. Interested parties are invited to comment on these 
preliminary results.

DATES: Applicable August 12, 2019.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 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: (202) 482-0697.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On September 11, 2018, Commerce published a notice of opportunity 
to request an administrative review of the countervailing duty (CVD) 
order on OCTG from Turkey for the period January 1, 2017, through 
December 31, 2017.\1\ On September 28, 2018, Commerce received a review 
request from United States Steel Corporation, Maverick Tube 
Corporation, Tenaris Bay City Inc., TMK IPSCO, Vallourec Star, L.P., 
and Welded Tube USA (domestic interested parties), for Borusan 
Mannesmann Boru Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S. and Borusan Istikbal Ticaret 
T.A. [Scedil].\2\ On October 1, 2018, Borusan Mannesmann Boru Sanayi ve 
Ticaret A.S. requested a review of itself.\3\ On November 15, 2018, 
Commerce published a notice of initiation of an administrative review 
for this CVD order.\4\ On January 28, 2019, Commerce exercised its 
discretion to toll all deadlines affected by the partial federal 
government closure from December 22, 2018, through the resumption of 
operations on January 29, 2019.\5\ Accordingly, the deadline for the 
preliminary results of this administrative review was rescheduled to 
July 12, 2019. On July 3, 2019, Commerce extended the deadline for the 
preliminary results to August 21, 2019.\6\
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    \1\ See Antidumping or Countervailing Duty Order, Finding, or 
Suspended Investigation; Opportunity to Request Administrative 
Review, 83 FR 45888 (September 11, 2018).
    \2\ See Letter from domestic interested parties, ``Oil Country 
Tubular Goods from Turkey: Request for Administrative Review,'' 
dated September 28, 2018.
    \3\ See Letter from Borusan, ``Oil Country Tubular Goods from 
Turkey, Case No. C-489-817: Request for Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Review,'' dated October 1, 2018.
    \4\ See Initiation of Antidumping and Countervailing Duty 
Administrative Reviews, 83 FR 57411, 57418 (November 15, 2018).
    \5\ See Memo from Gary Taverman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operation, performing the non-
exclusive functions and duties of the Assistant Secretary for 
Enforcement and Compliance, ``Deadline Affected by Partial Shutdown 
of the Federal Government,'' dated January 28, 2019. All deadlines 
in this segment of the proceeding affected by the partial closure of 
the Federal government have been extended by 40 days.
    \6\ See Memo to James Maeder, Deputy Assistant Secretary for 
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Operations, ``Administrative 
Review of the Countervailing Duty Order on Oil Country Tubular Goods 
from the Republic of Turkey: Extension of Deadline for Preliminary 
Results,'' dated July 3, 2019.
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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 Preliminary Decision Memorandum, 
which is hereby adopted by this notice.\7\
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    \7\ See Memorandum re: ``Decision Memorandum for the Preliminary 
Results of 2016 Countervailing Duty Administrative Review: Oil 
Country Tubular Goods from the Republic of Turkey,'' dated 
concurrently with this notice (Preliminary Decision Memorandum).
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Methodology

    We are conducting this administrative 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, we 
preliminarily find that there is a subsidy, i.e., a financial 
contribution by an ``authority'' that gives rise to a benefit to the 
recipient, and that the subsidy is specific.\8\ For a

[[Page 39798]]

full description of the methodology underlying our conclusions, see the 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum. The Preliminary Decision Memorandum is 
a public document and is on file electronically via Enforcement and 
Compliance's Antidumping and Countervailing Duty Centralized Electronic 
Service System (ACCESS). ACCESS is available to registered users at 
https://access.trade.gov and in the Central Records Unit, Room B8024 of 
the main Department of Commerce building. In addition, a complete 
version of the Preliminary Decision Memorandum can be accessed directly 
on the internet at http://enforcement.trade.gov/frn/. The signed 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum and the electronic version of the 
Preliminary Decision Memorandum are identical in content. A list of 
topics discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum is provided in 
the Appendix to this notice.
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    \8\ 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.
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Preliminary Results of the Review

    We preliminarily determine the following net countervailable 
subsidy rate for the mandatory respondent, Borusan Mannesmann Boru 
Sanayi ve Ticaret A.S., Borusan Istikbal Ticaret T.A. [Scedil]., 
Borusan Mannesmann Boru Yatirim Holding A.[Scedil]., and Borusan 
Holding A.[Scedil]., (collectively, Borusan) \9\ for the period January 
1, 2017, through December 31, 2017:
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    \9\ Commerce has determined that Borusan Mannesmann Boru Sanayi 
ve Ticaret A.S., Borusan Istikbal Ticaret T.A. [Scedil]., Borusan 
Mannesmann Boru Yatirim Holding A.[Scedil]., and Borusan Holding 
A.[Scedil]. are cross-owned. See Preliminary Decision Memorandum.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  Company                    Net subsidy rate Ad Valorem
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Borusan Mannesmann Boru Sanayi ve Ticaret    1.00 percent.
 A.S., Borusan Istikbal Ticaret T.A.
 [Scedil]., Borusan Mannesmann Boru Yatirim
 Holding A.[Scedil]., and Borusan Holding
 A.[Scedil]. (collectively, Borusan).
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Assessment Rates

    Consistent with section 751(a)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.212(b)(2), upon issuance of the final results, Commerce will 
determine, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shall assess, 
countervailing duties on all appropriate entries covered by this 
review. We intend to issue instructions to CBP 15 days after 
publication of the final results of this review.

Cash Deposit Requirements

    In accordance with section 751(a)(2)(C) of the Act, Commerce also 
intends to instruct CBP to collect cash deposits of estimated 
countervailing duties in the amount shown above for Borusan, with 
regard to shipments of subject merchandise entered, or withdrawn from 
warehouse, for consumption on or after the date of publication of the 
final results of this review. 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. These 
cash deposit requirements, when imposed, shall remain in effect until 
further notice.

Disclosure and Public Comment

    We will disclose to parties in this review the calculations 
performed in reaching the preliminary results within five days of 
publication of these preliminary results.\10\ Interested parties may 
submit written argument (case briefs) on the preliminary results no 
later than 30 days from the date of publication of this Federal 
Register notice, and rebuttal argument (rebuttal briefs) within five 
days after the time limit for filing case briefs.\11\ Pursuant to 19 
CFR 351.309(d)(2), rebuttal briefs must be limited to issues raised in 
the case briefs. Parties who submit arguments are requested to submit 
with the argument: (1) A statement of the issue; (2) a brief summary of 
the argument; and (3) a table of authorities.\12\ All briefs must be 
filed electronically using ACCESS.
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    \10\ See 19 CFR 351.224(b).
    \11\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(1)(ii); 351.309(d)(1); and 19 CFR 
351.303 (for general filing requirements).
    \12\ See 19 CFR 351.309(c)(2) and (d)(2).
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    Pursuant to 19 CFR 351.310(c), interested parties who wish to 
request a hearing must submit a written request to the Assistant 
Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance, filed electronically via 
ACCESS by 5 p.m. Eastern Time within 30 days after the date of 
publication of this notice.\13\ Hearing requests should contain: (1) 
The party's name, address, and telephone number; (2) the number of 
participants; and (3) a list of the issues to be discussed. Issues 
addressed at the hearing will be limited to those raised in the briefs. 
If a request for a hearing is made, parties will be notified of the 
date and time for the hearing to be held at the U.S. Department of 
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230.\14\ 
Commerce intends to issue the final results of this administrative 
review, including the results of our analysis of the issues raised by 
the parties in their comments, no later than 120 days after the date of 
publication of this notice, pursuant to section 751(a)(3)(A) of the Act 
and 19 CFR 351.213(h), unless this deadline is extended.
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    \13\ See 19 CFR 351.310(c).
    \14\ See 19 CFR 351.310(d).
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    These preliminary results and notice are issued and published in 
accordance with sections 751(a)(1) and 777(i)(1) of the Act and 19 CFR 
351.221(b)(4).

    Dated: August 5, 2019.
Christian Marsh,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and Compliance.

Appendix

List of Topics Discussed in the Preliminary Decision Memorandum

I. Summary
II. Background
III. Scope of the Order
IV. Subsidies Valuation Information
V. Analysis of Programs
VI. Recommendation

[FR Doc. 2019-17097 Filed 8-9-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P