US OCTG imports fell in 2023, line pipe up slightly

US imports of oil country tubular goods (OCTG) fell in 2023 while line pipe imports rose slightly.

• OCTG imports fell by 8.2pc year-over-year but are still at the second-highest level in at least the last four years, according to data from the US Department of Commerce.
• Taiwan led the overall OCTG volume declines, down by 85,500t year over year, followed by a 70,800t drop from Mexico. Imports from Thailand more than doubled, increasing by 95,400t, while Canadian imports rose by 83,100t.
• Line pipe imports edged up by 0.3pc or more than 3,000 metric tonnes (t) from their 2022 levels and are up by 47pc compared with 2021 volumes.
• Turkey boosted its line pipe volumes into the US by 23,300t, nearly tripling its prior-year total, while Brazil more than doubled its volumes, increasing them by 22,400t.
• Structural pipe imports increased by 2.2pc in 2023 to 425,600t, a 9,300t increase.
• Mechanical pipe imports fell by 2.6pc to 613,400t, a 16,300t decline.

By Rye Druzin