Sourcing seamless steel oil-well casing from China

UK duty on seamless oil-well casing

Heading 7304 covers seamless tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of iron other than cast iron, or steel. This guide covers oil-well casing within its drilling-related branches. These tariff branches also include tubing, so the goods description must identify casing accurately. See the wider seamless steel tube guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 21 October 2026, all relevant casing lines in the supplied data carry 0% duty for goods from China. They list no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, steel measure, suspension or attached import control. Import VAT is separate. The reference guide identifies heading 7304 within the UK carbon border adjustment mechanism from 1 January 2027; ask the mill for emissions data before ordering.

Confirm the commodity code using the seamless manufacturing process, steel type, outside diameter and chemistry. Some branches distinguish carbon equivalent value, so diameter alone does not select the code. Keep the mill analysis with the classification decision and recheck the tariff before shipment.

Specify casing for the well design

Agree the casing standard and edition, steel grade, heat treatment, outside diameter, minimum wall thickness, length range, connection design and coupling material. API 5CT is a purchasing standard for oil country tubular goods identified in the reference guide. Put thread gauges, drift testing, pressure testing, non-destructive examination and acceptance criteria into the purchase specification.

HSE says the well operator must prevent fluid releases so far as reasonably practicable. Its guidance describes casing size and grade being selected through a design process considering burst, collapse, tensile and triaxial loads. Obtain the well designer's specification before requesting quotations; agree any proposed substitution with the designer.

Specify heat-number traceability, mill inspection certificates and test records tied to the delivered casing. Agree thread protectors, corrosion protection, bundle identification and handling arrangements. Include coupling and connection drawings so the factory cannot substitute a connection merely because the nominal diameter matches.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 60 tonnes of seamless steel oil-well casing under 7304 29 30 80, invoiced at £48,000 free on board, with £6,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £54,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £54,000, so it is £10,800. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match casing markings, heat numbers, grade and bundle records to the mill certificates and purchase order.

Dimensions: measure outside diameter, wall thickness around the circumference, ovality, straightness and length; witness drift testing against the agreed specification.

Connections: check thread form with the agreed gauges, coupling identity, damaged sealing surfaces and fitted thread protectors.

Condition and records: inspect internal and external surfaces for corrosion, cracks and handling damage; reconcile pressure and non-destructive test records with the delivered batches. Agree the scope through quality inspection.

What goes wrong

A matching outside diameter can hide insufficient wall thickness, the wrong grade or an incompatible connection. Copied certificates and mixed heat numbers break traceability. Missing thread protectors can leave damaged threads or sealing surfaces even when the pipe body looks sound.

Set acceptance criteria before production and separate suspect bundles on arrival. Ask the mill to resolve discrepancies with traceable records and agreed retesting before release. HSE describes pressure testing after casing is cemented in the well; factory tests and arrival inspection serve different stages of acceptance.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.