Prices and overall activity within the US J55 ERW OCTG casing market remains stable, with sources noting that while the market was expected to maintain its current status quo until the annual Q4 slowdown, Hurricane Harvey’s devastating effects in Houston could have a significant impact on the market if import flow is affected.
For now, prices for imported J55 ERW OCTG from Korea in the US domestic market continue to trend at $42.50-$44.00 cwt. ($937-$970/mt or $850-$880/nt), DDP loaded truck in US Gulf coast ports, before applicable duties from antidumping/countervailing duty case.
Prices for imported J55 ERW OCTG casing from Taiwan in the US domestic market, which were previously heard at $0.50 cwt. ($11/mt or $10/nt) below Korean pricing, are now being heard at $41.00-$42.50 cwt. ($904-$937/mt or $820-$850/nt), DDP loaded truck in US Gulf coast ports.
In terms of current import arrivals, the most recent data from the US Department of Commerce shows that for the month of July, the most significant offshore source of US import OCTG was Korea, at 99,894 mt (preliminary census data), followed by Brazil, at 23,390 mt; Argentina, at 22,868 mt; and Russia, at 17,695 mt.