In a development that could put even more pressure on domestic natural gas pipeline projects, the Department of Commerce said it has preliminarily determined that Canada, China, Greece, India, South Korea and Turkey have been selling large diameter welded pipe at less than fair value in the United States.

Commerce said it would instruct the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to collect cash deposits from pipe importers at various preliminary rates. Chinese imports would see the largest antidumping duty (AD) at 132.63%, followed by India (50.55%), Canada (24.38%) and Greece (22.51%). Imports from South Korea will be subject to AD rates ranging from 14.97-22.21%, followed by Turkish pipe at 3.45-5.29%.

Pipeline companies, already reeling from a 25% tariff on imported steel from several countries, have complained that the Trump administration’s trade policies are flawed and arbitrary, and are increasing project costs. The oil and gas industry has also voiced frustration over the tariffs and an exemption request process established by Commerce.

Commerce is scheduled to announce final determinations for the China and India investigations by Nov. 6, and for Canada, Greece, South Korea and Turkey by Jan. 3. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) must also determine that the imports hurt domestic steel manufacturers before final AD issues are ordered.

“In developing its final determination, we urge the ITC to consider that domestic capacity differs for different types of line pipe,” the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America said Wednesday. “ICF studied this issue last year and determined that for certain larger diameter, heavy-walled, specialty pipe — the type of pipe often used to build interstate natural gas pipelines — there is limited domestic capacity today.”

Domestic steel manufacturers American Cast Iron Pipe Co., Berg Steel Pipe Corp., Berg Spiral Pipe Corp., Dura-Bond Industries, Skyline Steel and Stupp Corp. had petitioned Commerce to take action on the steel imports.

According to Commerce, imports of large diameter welded pipe in 2017 from Canada, China, Greece, India, South Korea and Turkey were valued at an estimated $179.9 million, $29.2 million, $10.7 million, $294.7 million, $150.9 million, and $57.3 million, respectively.

Commerce singled out Canada’s Evraz Inc. NA; Greece’s Corinth Pipeworks Pipe Industry SA; India’s Bhushan Steel and Welspun Trading Ltd.; South Korea’s Hyundai RB Co. Ltd., SeAH Steel Corp. and Samkang M&T, Ltd.; and Turkey’s Borusan Mannesmann Boru Sanayi ve Ticaret AS and HDM Celik Boru Sanayi ve Ticaret AS.