UPDATE 3-U.S. sets more duties on China pipe in record case

* Action another big win for U.S. Steelworkers union

* U.S. imports of good tripled in 2008 to $2.63 billion

* More U.S. cases in pipeline before Obama heads to Asia (Updates with Commerce Department release)

By Doug Palmer

WASHINGTON, Nov 5 (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday slapped preliminary anti-dumping duties ranging up to 99 percent on Chinese-made oil well pipe in the biggest U.S. trade action against China.

The preliminary Commerce Department decision came a week before President Barack Obama heads to Asia on a trip that includes stops in Shanghai and Beijing.

It follows Obama's decision in September to put a 35 percent duty on Chinese-made tires in response to a petition from the United Steelworkers union.

Obama is expected to stress the need for the United States and China to work together to revive global economic growth and avoid protectionism that could endanger recovery.

The Steelworkers, who campaigned hard for Obama during last year's presidential race and are an important ally in his fight to win approval of comprehensive healthcare reform in Congress, were also a driving force in the oil well pipe case.

Since taking office in January, the Obama administration has initiated at least a dozen anti-dumping or countervailing duty investigations against products from China in response to petitions filed by industry and union groups.

The U.S. International Trade Commission will vote on Friday whether to approve three more probes covering coated paper, certain standard steel fasteners and sodium and potassium phosphate salts from China.

The preliminary duties announced on Thursday by the Commerce Department included a 36.53 percent levy on certain "oil country tubular goods" produced or exported by Tianjin Pipe International Economic and Trading Corp, Zhejiang Jianli Co Ltd, Wuxi Seamless Pipe Co and unspecified other companies.

Commerce also set a preliminary 99.14 percent "China-wide" anti-dumping duty on other producers and exporters.

"China's government and exporters are being told we are fed up with their cheating on our fair trade laws and penalties for these transgressions are long overdue," Steelworkers President Leo Gerard said in a statement praising the action.

COMPANIES JOINED PETITION

Maverick Tube Corp, United States Steel Corp (X.N), TMK IPSCO, V&M Star LLP, Wheatland Tube Corp and Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel joined the Steelworkers in April in asking the Commerce Department for the import curbs.