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Petroleum (Taxation) Act


Published: 1991

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GOVERNMENTGAZETTE OF THE

REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA RO,90 WINDHOEK - 10 April 1991 No. 179

CONTENTS Page

GOVERNMENT NOTICE

No. 34 Promulgation of Petroleum (Taxation) Act, 1991 (Act 3 of 1991), of the National Assembly .

Government Notice

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

No. 34 1991

PROMULGATION OF ACT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

The following Act which has been passed by the National Assembly and signed by the President in terms ofthe Namibian Constitution is hereby published in terms of Article 56 of that Constitution.

No.3 of 1991: Petroleum (Taxation) Act, 1991.

2 Government Gazette 10April 1991 No. 179 Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

EXPLANATORY NOTE:

Words underlined with solid line indicate insertions proposed.

[ Words in bold type in square brackets indicate omissions proposed.

ACT To provide for the levying and collection of a pe- troleum income tax and an additional profits tax in respect of certain income received by or accrued to or in favour of persons in connection with exploration operations, development operations or production ope- rations carried out in Namibia in relation to petroleum; and to provide for matters incidental thereto.

(Signed by the President on 19March 1991)

ARRANGEMENTS OF SECTIONS

1. Definitions.

PART I Application and administration of this Act

2. Application of this Act. 3. Act to be administered by Permanent Secretary. 4. Application of Income Tax Act in relation to admi-

nistration of this Act.

PART II Petroleum income tax

5. Levy of petroleum income tax. 6. Rate of petroleum income tax. 7. Determination of gross income. 8. General deductions allowed in determination of

taxable income. 9. Deductions allowed in respect of capital expenditure

incurred in or before year of production. 10. Deductions allowed in respect of capital expenditure

after year of production.

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Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

11. Deductions allowed on transfer of production licences.

12. Amounts exceeding capital expenditure deemed to be gross mcome.

13. Deductions not to be allowed. 14. Expenditure incurred outside Namibia. 15. Apportionment of expenditure in terms of operating

agreement between joint holders of a production licence.

16. Double deductions. 17. Expenditure incurred in connection with agreements

between persons associated with each other. 18. Allowable losses.

PART III Additional profits tax

19. Levy of additional profits tax. 20. Liability for additional profits tax. 21. Determination of additional profits tax. 22. Modification of provisions of this Part in terms of

agreements.

PART IV Returns, assessments, objections and appeals,

payment and recovery of tax, representative taxpayers,

refunds and other miscellaneous matters

23. Application of provisions of Income Tax Act in relation to returns, assessments, objections and appeals, payment and recovery of tax, representative taxpayers, refunds and other miscellaneous matters.

PART V General provisions

24. Amendment of Act 24 of 1981. 25. Short title and commencement.

4 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179 Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

BE IT ENACTED by the National Assembly of the Republic of Namibia, as follows:-

Definitions. 1. In this Act, unless the context indicates otherwise, any word or expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, 1991, shall have that meaning, and -

"additional profits tax" means the additional profits tax referred to in section 19;

"allowable deduction" means a deduction allowable under section 8, 9, 10 or 11;

"allowable loss" means any amount established in terms of section 18;

"capital expenditure" means exploration expenditure or development expenditure or exploration expenditure and development expenditure, as the case may be, and includes for the purposes of section 9, capital expenditure as defined in section 36 of the Income Tax Act incurred before the commencement of this Act by a person for purposes of exploration operations and development operations in the licence area in question;

"development expenditure" means expenditure actually incurred, whether directly or indirectly, in or in connection with the carrying out of development operations in or in connection with a licence area, including expenditure actually incurred in respect of -

(a) the acquisition of -

(i) machinery, implements, utensils and other articles used for purposes of such opera- tions, including pipes, units for purposes of production, treatment and processing, well- head equipment, subsurface equipment, en- hanced recovery systems, onshore and off- shore drilling and production platforms and petroleum storage facilities;

(ii) furniture, tools and equipment used in offices and accommodation referred to in paragraph (e)(ii) of the definition of "deve- lopment operations" and in warehouses, export terminals, harbours, piers, marine

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 5

Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

vessels, vehicles, motorised rolling equip- ment, aircraft, fire and security stations, water and sewage plants and power plants;

(b) labour, fuel, haulage, supplies, materials and repairs in connection with the drilling, laying, installation and construction referred to in para- graphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e)(i) ofthe definition of "development operations";

(c) contributions to a fund or scheme, approved by the Permanent Secretary, in respect of any person employed in or in connection with deve- lopment operations;

(d) the advancement of training and education of Namibian citizens at institutions approved by the Permanent Secretary after consultation with the Commissioner and the provision of educational and scientific materials and equipment by virtue of any term and condition of a licence issued in respect of such licence area;

(e) charges, fees or rent for, or in respect of, land or buildings occupied for purposes of carrying out development operations;

(f) subject to the provisions of section 14(2), the general administration and management directly connected with development operations;

(g) the restoration of such licence area, or any part thereof, after cessation of development opera- tions in such licence area to the extent to which such expenditure has been incurred by virtue of any term and condition of the licence issued in respect of such licence area relating to safety or the prevention of pollution;

(h) customs duty in respect of the importation for use in or in connection with development opera- tions in such licence area of plant, machinery, equipment, spare parts, materials, supplies or consumable items to be used in or in connection with such development operations;

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Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

"development operations", in relation to a licence area, means operations carried out for or in connection with the development of a petroleum reservoir situated in such licence area and the appraisal of such reservoir and includes -

(a) the drilling, completion and testing of wells drilled for purposes of such development;

(b) the drilling and completion of wells for purposes of gas or water injection in order to enhance the recovery of petroleum;

(c) the laying of gathering lines;

(d) the installation of -

(i) offshore platforms and installations;

(ii) machinery, implements, utensils and other articles required for purposes of producing, treatment or processing petroleum or for conveying petroleum, either onshore or off- shore, into main oil storage or processing facilities, including pipelines within or out- side such licence area to such storage or processing facilities;

(e) the construction and erection of facilities for purposes of -

(i) production, storage gathering and con- veyance of petroleum, and roads in or to such licence area;

(ii) offices and residential accommodation for the use by persons employed by such person in or in connection with production opera- tions or development operations, or for purposes of health, educational and recrea- tional facilities connected with such opera- tions;

"exploration expenditure", in relation to a licence area, means expenditure actually incurred, whether directly or indirectly, in or in connection with the carrying out of exploration operations in or in connection with such licence area, including expenditure actually incurred in respect of -

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 7

Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

(a) the acquisition of machinery, implements, utensils and other articles employed for purposes of such operations, including pipes, wellhead equipment, subsurface equipment and onshore and offshore drilling;

(b) labour, fuel, haulage, supplies, materials and repairs in connection with a surveyor study, excluding drilling for appraisal purposes, re- ferred to in paragraphs (a) and (b) of the defini- tion of "exploration operations" in section 1 of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, 1991;

(c) contributions to a fund or scheme, approved by the Permanent Secretary, in respect of any person employed in or in connection with ex- ploration operations;

(d) the advancement of training and education of Namibian citizens at institutions approved by the Permanent Secretary after consultation with the Commissioner, and the provision of educational and scientific materials and equipment by virtue of any term and condition of an exploration licence issued in respect of such licence area;

(e) charges, fees or rent for, or in respect of, land or buildings occupied for purposes of carrying out exploration operations;

(f) subject to the provisions of section 14(2), the general administration and management directly connected with exploration operations;

(g) the restoration of such licence area, or any part thereof, after cessation of exploration operations in such area to the extent to which such expendi- ture has been incurred by virtue of any term and condition of an exploration licence issued in respect of such licence area relating to safety or the prevention of pollution;

(h) customs duty in respect of the importation for use in or in connection with exploration opera- tions in such licence area of plant, machinery, equipment, spare parts, materials, supplies or consumable items used in or in connection with such exploration operations;

8 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179 Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

"gross income", in relation to tax, means the gross income of a person determined in accordance with the provisions of section 7;

"Income Tax Act" means the Income Tax Act, 1981(Act 24 of 1981);

"initial treatment", in relation to petroleum produced and saved in a licence area, means -

(a) the subjection of such petroleum to any process of which the sole purpose is to enable such petroleum to be safely stored, safely loaded into a tanker or safely accepted by an oil refinery; or

(b) the separation of methane gas from such petro- leum,

but shall not include -

(i) the storage of petroleum whether or not such storage involves the subjection and separation contemplated in paragraph (a) or (b);

(ii) any activity carried out as part of, or in association with, the refining of petroleum;

"licence" means an exploration licence or a production licence;

"licence area" means -

(a) in the case of an area to which an exploration licence has been issued, the exploration area to which such licence relates;

(b) in the case of an area to which a production licence has been issued, the production area to which such licence relates or, if more than one production licence is issued in relation to an area to which an exploration licence has been issued, all such production areas to which such licences relate;

"Minister" means the Minister of Finance;

"net cash receipts", in relation to any amount received by or accrued to or in favour of a person or, in the case of

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 9

Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

persons who are the joint holders of a licence issued in respect of a licence area, all such persons from a licence area in connection with exploration operations, develop- ment operations or production operations carried out in a tax year in such licence area, means the amount, whether expressed in a negative or a positive figure, remaining after deducting from the gross income actually received or accrued by or in favour of such person in such tax year -

(a) all allowable deductions other than a deduction referred to in sction 8(a)(iv) as if they were, in the case of exploration expenditure and develop- ment expenditure referred to in sections 9 and 10, allowed in the year in which such exploration expenditure and development expenditure were actually incurred;

(b) petroleum income tax paid by such person on taxable income from such licence area in respect of such tax year;

(c) any amount oftax, if any, determined-

(i) in relation to the second accumulated net cash position referred to in section 19(2), in accordance with the provisions of para- graph (a) of section 21; and

(ii) in relation to the third accumulated net cash position referred to in the said section 19(2), in accordance with the provisions of para- graphs (a) and (b) of the said section 21;

"Permanent Secretary" means the Permanent Secretary: Finance;

"petroleum agreement" means a petroleum agreement referred to in section 13of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, 1991;

"petroleum income tax" means petroleum income tax referred to in section 5;

"petroleum information" means geological, geophysical, geochemical, palaeontological or other technical infor- mation which relates to the presence, absence or extent of deposits of petroleum at any place in Namibia, or is likely to be of assistance in determining the presence, absence or extent of any such deposits;

10 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179

PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Application of this Act.

"production operations", 10 relation to a licence area, includes -

(a~ the conveyance in Namibia of petroleum to the place where it is delivered for purposes of section 7{1)(a) or (b), or conveyance forrefining or other processing purposes;

(b) the initial treatment of petroleum produced from such licence area,

but shall not include development operations or explo- ration operations;

"tax" or "the tax" means petroleum income tax or additional profits tax, as the case may be;

"taxable income" means the amount remaining after deducting from the gross income of any person all allowable deductions and all allowable losses;

"tax year", in relation to a licence area, means each period of a year ending on 31 December commencing with such year in which a licence has been issued in respect of such licence area;

"the Price Index" means the value of the United States Industrial Goods Producer Price Index reported for the first time in the tax year in question in the monthly publication of the International Monetary Fund known as the "International Financial Statistics" in the section titled "Prices, Production, Employment";

"year of production", in relation to a licence area, means the tax year ending 31 December in which petroleum produced and saved from such licence area is first sold or otherwise dealt with on a commercial basis.

PART I Application and administration of this Act

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Income Tax Act, no tax shall be chargeable under that Act in respect of

(a) any income to which this Act relates;

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 11

Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

Act to be administered by Permanent Secretary.

Application of Income Tax Act in relation to administration of this Act.

Levy of petroleum income tax.

Rate of petroleum income tax.

(b) any dividends, as defined in section 1 of the Income Tax Act, paid out of profits from any such income.

3. The Permanent Secretary shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of this Act.

4. (1) The provisions of sections 3 and 4 of the Income Tax Act shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to the administration of this Act.

(2) The Minister may by notice III the Gazette determine -

(a) that any provision referred to in subsection (1) of this section shall not apply in relation to the administration of this Act;

(b) that any such provision shall so apply with such modifications as may be so determined;

(c) that any other provisions of the said Income Tax Act shall so apply with such modifications, if any, as may be so determined.

PART II Petroleum income tax

5. (1) There shall be paid annually for the benefit of the State Revenue Fund a petroleum income tax in respect of taxable income received by or accrued to or in favour of any person from a licence area in connection with explo- ration operations, development operations or production operations carried out in any tax year in such licence area.

(2) The petroleum income tax referred to in sub- section (1) shall be leviable under this Act in respect of each licence area separately and shall be so determined and chargeable.

6. The rate of petroleum income tax to be levied shall be 42 per cent of the taxable income received by or accrued to or in favour of any person from a licence area in connection with exploration operations, development operations or production operations in any tax year carried out in such licence area.

12 Government Gazette 10April 1991 No. 179 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Determination of gross income.

7. (1) For purposes of the provisions of this Act, the gross income of a person shall be the total amount, in cash or otherwise, received by or accrued to or in favour of such person from a licence area in connection with exploration operations, development operations or production ope- rations carried out in any tax year in such licence area, excluding amounts so received or accrued being of a capital nature, but including, without limiting the scope of this subsection, the following amounts (whether of a capital nature or not) so received or accrued, namely-

(a) the amount received by or accrued to or in favour of such person for so much of the share of petroleum in crude form of such person, deter- mined as provided in subsection (3), as was produced and saved in such licence area, delivered by such person in the tax year and so disposed of by such person in a sale at arm's length con- templated in subsection (4);

(b) the market value, determined as provided in subsection (5), of the share of petroleum in crude form of such person, determined as provided in subsection (3), as was produced and saved in such licence area, delivered by such person in the tax year and so disposed of by such person in a sale other than a sale at arm's length contemplated in subsection (4);

(c) the market value, determined as provided in subsection (5), of the share of petroleum in crude form of such person, determined as provided in subsection (3), which was produced and saved ch licence in suarea and which was, without being disposed of, appropriated by such person in the tax year for refining or other processing purposes;

(d) one-half of the market value, determined as provided in subsection (5), of the share of petro- leum in crude form of such person, determined as provided in subsection (3), which was produced and saved in such licence area and which was in the tax year -

(i) not in any manner lost;

(ii) not disposed of or appropriated for refining or other processing purposes; or

(iii) disposed of, but not delivered;

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Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

(e) any amount received by or accrued to or in favour of such person in the tax year under a policy of insurance or otherwise in respect of any loss, partly or wholly, of -

(i) the share of petroleum in crude form of such person, determined as provided in sub- section (3), which was produced and saved in such licence area;

(ii) income which would have been gross income of such person in respect of such licence area if such loss had not occurred;

(f) any amount received by or accrued to or in favour of such person in the tax year from such licence area and deemed, under the provisions of section 12(1), to be gross income for purposes of this section;

(g) any amount received by or accrued to or in favour of such person in the tax year from the sale of petroleum information in relation to such licence area;

(h) any other amount received by or accrued to or in favour of such person in the tax year which is, in terms of any term and condition of a licence, regarded as gross income for purposes of this Act.

(2) Any amount referred to in subsection (1) which was received by or accrued to or in favour of any person referred to in that subsection before the year of production from any licence area shall be deemed to have been received by or accrued to or in favour of any person during the year of production and shall, for purposes of deter- mining the gross income of such person for the year of production, be included in the gross income determined in accordance with the provisions of that subsection.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1), the share of petroleum in crude form of a person produced and saved in a licence area -

(a) shall-

(i) during any period in which such person is the sole holder of a licence to which such licence area relates, be all of such petroleum so produced and saved;

14 Government Gazette 10April 1991 No. 179 Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

(ii) during any period in which such person and one or more other persons are joint holders of such licence, be so much of such petro- leum -

(aa) as may accrue to such person in terms of any agreement entered into between all holders of such licence and submitted to the Permanent Secretary for purposes of this section in which provision is made for the division of all such pe- troleum produced and saved from such licence area among such holders or among such holders and the Govern- ment, the Corporation or any body established by or under any law con- trolling or entitled to control by virtue of such law funds accruing to it as a whole or partly from moneys appro- priated by law; or

(bb) if no such agreement has been entered into or if such agreement has been cancelled, as may be regarded as the share of such person if all such petro- leum produced and saved from such licence area is equally divided among such holders or such holders and the Government, the Corporation or such body;

(b) shall not include any petroleum to which the Government or the Corporation is entitled by way of profit sharing or on account of its participation in any production operations in such area and which was delivered to the Government, the Cor- poration or body referred to in paragraph (a).

(4) (a) For the purposes of subsection (1), a sale of petroleum shall be a sale at arm's length if -

(i) the price provided for in any agreement of sale is the sole consideration in respect of such sale;

(ii) the sale is not affected by any relationships other than the relationship created by the agreement of sale between the seller or any other person associated with such seller and

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 15 Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

the purchaser or any other person associated with such purchaser; and

(iii) the seller or any other person associated with such seller has, whether directly or indirectly, no interest in the subsequent resale or dis- posal of the petroleum or any by-product of such petroleum.

(b) Any proportion other than a particular quantity of the share of petroleum in crude form of such person, determined as provided in paragraph (a), acquired by any other person, whether directly or indirectly, under an arrangement or agreement, shall, for purposes of subsection (1), be regarded as having been disposed of to such other 'person by such person in a manner other than in a sale at arm's length.

(c) Any petroleum acquired as contemplated in para- graph (b) which is, in terms of such arrangement or agreement, delivered by such person to such other person or to any other person acting on behalf of such other person, shall, for purposes of subsection (1), be regarded as having been de- livered by such person notwithstanding the fact that he or she is not the owner of such petroleum.

(d) For purposes ofthis subsection, a person shall be deemed to be associated with a seller or with a purchaser, as the case may be -

(i) if any other person has, directly or indirectly, any interest in any business or property in which such seller or purchaser, as the case may be, has, directly or indirectly, any interest; or

(ii) if any other person has, directly or indirectly, both an interest in any business or property of such seller or purchaser, as the case may be, and the person referred to in subpara- graph (i).

(5) For purposes of subsection (1), the market value of petroleum produced and saved from a licence area shall be -

(a) determined in accordance with any term or con-

16 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179

PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

General deductions al- lowed in determination of taxable income.

dition of the licence to which such licence area relates; or

(b) if no such term or condition exists, determined by the Permanent Secretary, having regard to an amount which will be obtained on a sale of such petroleum between a willing seller and a willing purchaser acting in good faith.

(6) For purposes of subsection (1), petroleum pro- duced and saved in a licence area shall be regarded to be in crude form if, whether or not it has undergone initial treatment, it has not been refined or otherwise processed.

8. For purposes of determining the taxable income derived by a person in respect of a tax year, there shall, subject to the provisions of section 13, be allowed as deductions from the gross income received by or accrued to or in favour of such person in respect of every licence area, expenditure, excluding expenditure of a capital nature, actually incurred by such person in respect of such licence area in the production of such gross income, including -

(a) such expenditure so incurred in respect of -

(i) repairs or maintenance of any premises occupied for purposes of carrying out explo- ration operations, development operations or production operations in or in connection with such licence area, including repairs of machinery, implements, utensils and other articles employed by such person for such purposes;

(ii) charges, fees or rent for or in respect of land or buildings occupied for purposes of carry- ing out production operations in or in con- nection with such licence area;

(iii) contributions to a fund or scheme, approved by the Permanent Secretary, in respect of any person employed by such person in or in connection with production operations in or in connection with such licence area;

(iv) interest and other moneys paid during the year of assessment on loans or other debts which, to the satisfaction of the Permanent

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Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

Secretary, has been utilized or incurred for purposes of carrying out exploration ope- rations, development operations or pro- duction operations in or in connection with such licence area;

(v) any royalty levied under, and paid in terms of, the provisions of the Petroleum (Explo- ration and Production) Act, 1991, in con- nection with petroleum produced and saved in such licence area;

(vi) the advancement of the education and train- ing of Namibian citizens at institutions approved by the Permanent· Secretary, and the provision of educational and scientific material and equipment in terms of any term or condition of a production licence issued in respect of such licence area;

(vii) wages and salaries of persons employed by such person in or in connection with produc- tion operations carried out in such licence area;

(viii) consumable items used in respect of the production, conveyance and storage facilities in or in connection with production opera- tions carried out in such licence area;

(ix) the right of use of any plant, machinery, equipment or other article used in or in connection with exploration operations, development operations or production ope- rations carried out in such licence area;

(x) customs duty in respect of the importation for use in or in connection with production operations carried out in such licence area of plant, machinery, equipment, spare parts, materials, supplies or consumable items to be used in or in connection with such produc- tion operations;

(xi) subject to the provisions of section 14(2), general administration and management directly connected with production opera- tions carried out in such licence area;

18 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Deductions allowed in respect of capital expen- diture incurred in or be- fore year of production.

(xii) the restoration of a licence area, or any part thereof, after cessation of exploration ope- rations, development operations or pro- duction operations in such licence area to the extent to which such expenditure may, by virtue of any term and condition of a licence issued in respect of such licence area, be allowed as a deduction in determining such person's taxable income;

(b) any debts due to such person to the extent to which they are proved to the satisfaction of the Permanent Secretary to be bad, provided such amount is included in the current tax year or was included, but not deducted, in any previous tax year in such person's income;

(c) any amount which has been included in the gross income of such person in terms of section 7(l)(d) in the immediately preceding tax year in respect of such licence area.

9. (1) For purposes of determining the taxable income derived by a person, there shall be allowed, subject to the provisions of this section, as deductions from the gross income received by or accrued to or in favour of such person in respect of a licence area -

(a) in the year of production -

(i) all exploration expenditure incurred in or before the year of production;

(ii) one-third of all development expenditure incurred in or before the year of production;

(b) in the tax year immediately succeeding the year of production, one-third of all development expen- diture incurred as contemplated in paragraph (a)(ii);

(c) in the tax year succeeding the tax year referred to in paragraph (b), one-third of all development expenditure incurred as contemplated in para- graph (a)(ii).

(2) (a) Where an amount has been received by or accrued to or in favour of a person referred to in

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PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Deductions allowed in respect of capital expen- diture incurred after year of production.

subsection (1) in or before the year of production in respect of the disposal, loss or destruction of any asset, or any part thereof or interest therein, used in connection with exploration operations or development operations, capital expenditure in- curred in respect of such asset shall, if otherwise allowable as a deduction under this section, be allowable only to the extent to which the amount by which such capital expenditure exceeds the amount so received or accrued.

(b) For purposes of paragraph (a), the amount so received by or so accrued to or in favour of the person concerned shall be -

(i) if such asset was disposed of by way of a sale for a specified price, the price for which it was sold, less the expenses of the sale of such asset;

(ii) if such asset was disposed of together with other property by way of a sale and a separate price was not determined in respect of such asset, such part of the price for which such asset and such property were sold as may be determined by the Permanent Secretary, less such part of such expenses as may be so determined;

(iii) if the asset was disposed of otherwise than by way of a sale, the value of such asset as at the date of disposal;

(iv) if such asset was lost or destroyed, such amount as may be received by or accrued to or in favour of such person under a policy of insurance or otherwise in respect of such loss or destruction.

(3) Any capital expenditure incurred otherwise than in respect of an asset shall, if otherwise allowable as a deduction under this section, be reduced by any amount received by or accrued to or in favour of such person in or before the year of production from a recovery or recom- pense of any of such expenditure.

10. For purposes of determining the taxable income derived by a person in respect of a tax year, there shall be allowed as deductions from the gross income received by

20 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Deductions allowed on transfer of production licences.

or accrued to or in favour of such person in respect of a licence area -

(a) all exploration expenditure incurred in any tax year after the year of production in such licence area;

(b) in the case of capital expenditure other than capital expenditure referred to in paragraph (a) incurred in any such tax year, one-third of such expenditure in such tax year and one-third of such expenditure in each of the two immediately succeeding tax years.

11. (1) Where a production licence which relates to a licence area is transferred after the year of production, the holder of such licence and the person to whom such licence is transferred shall submit, within a period of 30 days after the date on which such licence is so transferred or such later date as the Permanent Secretary may on good cause shown allow in writing, to the Permanent Secretary a statement in such form as may be determined by the Permanent Secretary -

(a) identifying any assets which passed to such person on such transfer;

(b) stating the proportion of the consideration given for such transfer or, if no consideration has been given, the value of such assets.

(2) If the Permanent Secretary is satisfied with a statement submitted in terms of subsection (1), the pro- portion of the consideration or value, as the case may be, stated in such statement shall -

(a) for the purposes of section 10, rank as capital expenditure incurred by the person to whom such licence has been transferred in respect of such licence area and such assets in the tax year in which such transfer occurred;

(b) for the purposes of section 12, rank as assets received by or accrued to or in favour of the person who transferred the licence in question.

(3) If the Permanent Secretary is not so satisfied or if no statement has been submitted in terms of subsection (1) within the period referred to in that subsection, the

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Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

Amounts exceeding ca- pital expenditure deemed to be gross income.

Ded uctions not to be allowed.

Permanent Secretary shall determine the value of such assets and such value shall thereupon rank as provided in subsection (2).

(4) For the purposes of this section, "asset" means an asset in respect of which a deduction has been allowed or is allowable in determining the taxable income of the holder of the licence derived from the licence area in question in any tax year or tax years succeeding the year of production in such licence area.

12. (1) Where the aggregate of -

(a) any deduction allowed or allowable on the gross income of a person in any tax year after the year of production in respect of capital expenditure in- curred in or in connection with a licence area in respect of an asset, or any part thereof or any interest therein; and

(b) any amount received by or accrued to or in favour of such person in such tax year from the disposal, loss or destruction of such asset or from the transfer of such asset referred to in section 11,

exceeds the capital expenditure referred to in paragraph (a), the amount of such excess shall be deemed to be gross income received by or accrued to or in favour of such person from such licence area in the tax year in which such amount was so received or so accrued.

(2) The provisions of section 9(2)(b) shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to the determination of the amount referred to in subsection (1).

13. (1) No deduction shall be allowed under section 8 in respect of -

(a) any expenditure incurred in respect of improve- ments not being an allowable deduction under section 8(a)(i);

(b) any expenditure incurred in respect of charges, fees or rent for or in respect of land or buildings, not being an allowable deduction under section 8(a)(ii);

(c) any expenditure incurred in respect of contri-

22 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179

Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

Expenditure incurred out- side Namibia.

butions to a fund or scheme, not being a fund or scheme which is approved by the Permanent Secretary, not being an allowable deduction under section 8(a)(iii);

(d) any expenditure incurred in respect of a pecuniary obligation incurred in obtaining a loan or any other debt, not being an allowable deduction under section 8(a)(iv);

(e) any capital withdrawn or any sum utilized or intended to be utilized as capital;

(f) any expenditure incurred in respect of the acqui- sition of any land or an interest in any land or rights over or in respect of any land;

(g) any expenditure wholly or partly depending on or determined by reference to the quantity, value or proceeds of, or the profits from, petroleum pro- duced under the authority of a production licence not being a deduction allowed in terms of section 8(a)(v);

(h) any expenditure incurred for the purpose of obtaining a direct or indirect interest in petroleum produced under the authority of a production licence;

(i) any payment in respect of the tax, or of tax within the meaning of the Income Tax Act or of any tax levied, whether within or outside Namibia, under any other law.

(2) No deduction shall be allowed under section 8 or otherwise in respect of any expenditure which according to any term and condition of a licence shall not be so allowed.

14. (1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2), the provisions of section 8, 9, 10 or 11 shall apply also in relation to expenditure incurred by a person outside Namibia.

(2) Any expenditure, including expenditure in respect of rent, incurred by a person in the tax year outside Namibia in respect of general administration and manage- ment of the business of the person referred to in section 8(a)(xi) and capital expenditure referred to in paragraph

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 23

PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Apportionment of ex- penditure in terms of operating agreement be- tween joint holders of a production licence.

Double deductions.

(f) of the definition of "development expenditure" and paragraph (f) of the definition of "exploration expendi- ture" in section 1, shall, if otherwise an allowable deduc- tion under this Act, be allowed as a deduction only to the extent to which provision is made in any term and condition of a production licence or, if no such term and condition exists, to such extent as the Permanent Secre- tary may consider such expenditure to be just and reasonable having regard to the amount of such expen- diture or to such amount and the extent and nature of the exploration operations, development operations or pro- duction operations carried out by such person.

15. Any allowable deduction shall, in the case of joint holders of a production licence who have entered into and who have for the purposes of this section, submitted to the Permanent Secretary an operating agreement not incon- sistent with the provisions of this Act providing for -

(a) the apportionment of expenditure; or

(b) the reimbursement of any person (who mayor may not be one of such joint holders) for expen- diture incurred in carrying on exploration opera- tions, development operations or production operations in or in connection with such licence area,

in determining the taxable income received by or accrued to or in favour of suchjoint holders from such licence area, be subject to, and be allowed, in accordance with such agreement in the tax year to which it relates for so long as it is in force.

16. (1) Any allowable deduction which may in terms different provisions of this Act be allowed in respect of a person as a deduction, whether it may be so allowed in respect of one or more tax years or not, shall not be allowed as a deduction on more than one occasion.

(2) Any allowable deduction allowed in respect of particular expenditure in determining the taxable income of any person shall not be allowed in determining the taxable income of any other person.

(3) Any allowable deduction in relation to expen- diture incurred by a person in relation to two or more licence areas shall, in determining the taxable income of

24 Government Gazette 10April 1991 No. 179 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Expenditure incurred in connection with agree- ments between persons associated with each other.

Allowable losses.

Levy of additional profits tax.

such person from any such area, be allowed in respect of each licence area on such basis as may be determined by the Permanent Secretary after consultation with such person and having considered representations, if any, made by such person in connection with the basis on which such expenditure has been incurred in respect of each licence area.

17. If the Permanent Secretary is satisfied that any allowable expenditure incurred under an agreement or arrangement between two or more persons who are associated with each other, determined as provided in section 7(4)(d), would have been such lesser amount of expenditure as may be determined by the Permanent Se- cretary if such persons were not so associated, the Per- manent Secretary may reduce such expenditure, for purposes of determining the taxable income of the person who incurred such expenditure, to the amount so deter- mined.

18. Any amount, established to the satisfaction of the Permanent Secretary, by which any allowable deduction allowed in a tax year exceeded the gross income of a person in respect of which such deductions were allowed shall, for purposes of determining the taxable income of such person be allowed to be deducted as an allowable loss against the gross income of such person in the succeeding tax year.

PART III Additional profits tax

19. (1) There shall be paid annually for the benefit of the State Revenue Fund an additional profits tax, deter- mined in accordance with the provisions of section 21, in respect of the first accumulated net cash position, the second accumulated net cash position and the third accu- mulated net cash position, determined in respect of every tax year in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2), when expressed in a positive amount.

(2) For purposes of determining in accordance with the provisions of subsection (1) the amount of any additional profits tax payable in a tax year in respect of a licence area in terms of that subsection, the first accu- mulated net cash position, the second accumulated net cash position and the third accumulated net cash position shall be determined in accordance with the formula -

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 25

PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

(A x B) + C,

in which formula -

A, represents, subject to the provisions of subsections (3) and (4) -

(a) in the case of the first accumulated net cash position, the first accumulated net cash position;

(b) in the case of the second accumulated net cash position, the second accumulated net cash posi- tion; and

(c) in the case of the third accumulated net cash position, the third accumulated net cash position,

in relation to such licence area at the end of the tax year immediately preceding the tax year in respect of which the determination is to be made;

B, represents 100 per cent -

(i) plus, in the case of the first accumulated net cash position, 15 per cent, in the case of the second accumulated net cash position, 20 per cent and, in the case of the third accumulated net cash position, 25 per cent;

(ii) plus the average change, expressed in a per- centage, during such tax year in the annual average level of the Price Index or such other price index so expressed, as may be determined in respect of such licence area by mutual agreement between the Minister and such person and made known by the Permanent Secretary by notice in the Gazette; and

C, represents the net cash receipts of such person in relation to such licence area for such tax year.

(3) If in any tax year the amount determined in respect of the first accumulated net cash position, the second accumulated net cash position or the third accu- multed net cash position, as the case may be, is expressed in a positive amount, such first accumulated net cash position, such second accumulated net cash position or such third accumulated net cash position shall, for pur-

26 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Liability for additional profits tax.

Determination of addi- tional profits tax.

poses of determining the first accumulated net cash position, the second accumulated net cash position or the third accumulated net cash position, as the case may be, in respect of the succeeding tax year, be deemed to be nil.

(4) The year preceding the first tax year in relation to a licence area shall, for purposes of determining A of the formula referred to in subsection (2) be deemed to be a tax year in relation to such licence area and for such purposes the first accumulated net cash position, the second accu- mulated net cash position and the third accumulated net cash position at the end of such preceding year shall be deemed to be nil.

20. The additional profits tax shall be paid -

(a) in the case of a person who is the sole holder of a licence or licences issued in respect of the licence area in respect of which such tax has been determined, by such person;

(b) in the case of persons who are joint holders of a licence or licences issued in respect of a licence area for the whole or any part of the tax year of such licence or licences, by such persons jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved.

21. The additional profits tax shall -

(a) if the first accumulated net cash position is in respect of the tax year expressed in a positive amount, be determined at the rate of such per- centage of such positive amount as may be determined in accordance with the formula -

(56,5 - N) x P, (P - N)

in which formula -

N, represents the rate at which petroleum in- come tax is leviable in terms of section 6 or 56,5 per cent, whichever is the lower;

P, represents 100 per cent;

(b) if the second accumulated net cash position is in

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 27 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Modification of provi- sions of this Part in terms of agreements.

respect of the tax year expressed in a positive amount, be the aggregate of -

(i) the additional profits tax determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (a); and

(ii) such percentage of such positive amount as may be determined in the terms and condi- tions of the licence issued in respect of the licence area or, if no such percentage has been so determined, such percentage as may be determined by the Minister by notice in the Gazette; and

(c) if the third accumulated net cash position is in respect of the tax year expressed in a positive amount, be the aggregate of -

(i) the additional profits tax determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (b); and

(ii) such percentage of such positive amount as may be determined in the terms and condi- tions of the licence issued in respect of the licence area or, if no such percentage has been so determined, such percentage as may be determined by the Minister by notice in the Gazette.

22. Any provision of this Part which is modified by virtue of any term and condition contained in -

(a) a petroleum agreement which provides for the modification of any provision of this Part in relation to production sharing or participation in any such production sharing;

(b) any agreement entered into between the holder of a licence and the Government which provides for the development of a discovery of petroleum in gaseous form,

shall apply in relation to the licence area to which it relates as it is so modified.

28 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 No. 179 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Application of provisions of Income Tax Act in re- lation to returns, assess- ments, objections and appeals, payment and re- covery of tax, represen- tative taxpayers, refunds and other miscellaneous matters.

PART IV Returns, assessments, objections and appeals,

payment and recovery of tax, representative taxpayers, refunds and other miscellaneous matters

23. (1) The provisions of -

(a) Part I, except sections 57, 58 and 61, of Chapter III;

(b) Parts II and III of Chapter III;

(c) Part IV, except section 85, of Chapter III;

(d) Part V of Chapter III;

(e) sections 94, 95(1), 96, 97, 98 and 99 of Chapter III,

of the Income Tax Act and Schedule 2 thereto and the regulations made thereunder, shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to -

(i) returns for assessment to be furnished by persons liable to taxation under the provisions of this Act;

(ii) assessment of amounts chargeable in respect of tax leviable under this Act;

(iii) objections to assessments and appeals against decisions of Permanent Secretary;

(iv) payment and recovery of tax;

(v) representative taxpayers;

(vi) miscellaneous matters in connection with refunds of certain taxes, transactions or operations or schemes for purposes of avoiding or postponing liability for tax, offences and penalties, jurisdic- tion of courts of law and authentication and service of documents.

(2) The provisions of section 4 of this Act shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to the provisions of sub- section (1) of this section.

No. 179 Government Gazette 10 April 1991 29 Act No.3, 1991 PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991

Amendment of Act 24 of 1981.

PART V General provisions

24. (1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (2) and (3), the provisions of the Income Tax Act are hereby amended -

(a) by the substitution in section 1 for the definition of "mining operations" of the following defi- nition:

"mining operations" and "mining" include every method or process by which any mineral ([inclu- ding natural oil] excluding petroleum) is won from the soil or from any substance or constituent thereof; ";

(b) by the deletion in section 1 of the definition of "natural oil";

(c) by the insertion in section 1 after the definition of "person" of the following definition:

" 'petroleum' means petroleum as defined in section 1 of the Petroleum (Exploration and Pro- duction) Act, 1991;";

(d) by the deletion of subsection (4) of section 5; and

(e) by the substitution in subsection (3) of section 36 for paragraph (a) of the definition of "capital expenditure" of the following paragraph:

"(a) expenditure on shaft sinking and mine equipment [and, in the case of a natural oil mine, the cost of laying pipelines from the mining block to the marine terminal or the local refinery, as the case may be]; and".

(2) Any tax or other. amount which, but for the amendments referred to in subsection (1)would have been capable of being levied, assessed or recovered and which has at the commencement of this Act not been levied, assessed or recovered, may be levied, assessed or recovered as if such amendments had not been effected.

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PETROLEUM (TAXATION) ACT, 1991Act No.3, 1991

Short title and com- mencement.

(3) Notwithstanding the amendment of the pro- visions of the Income Tax Act in terms of subsection (1), such provisions shall continue to remain in force in respect of any person referred to in section 78(2) of the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act, 1991, until a date upon which a licence is issued to such person or any right referred to in that subsection has lapsed.

25. This Act shall be called the Petroleum (Taxation) Act, 1991, and shall come into operation on a date to be determined by the President by proclamation in the Gazette.