[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 26, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 26CFR1.43-1]

[Page 182-184]
 
                       TITLE 26--INTERNAL REVENUE
 
     CHAPTER I--INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
 
PART 1--INCOME TAXES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1.43-1  The enhanced oil recovery credit--general rules.

    (a) Claiming the credit--(1) In general. The enhanced oil recovery 
credit (the ``credit'') is a component of the section 38 general 
business credit. A taxpayer that owns an operating mineral interest (as 
defined in Sec. 1.614-2(b)) in a property may claim the credit for 
qualified enhanced oil recovery costs (as described in Sec. 1.43-4) paid 
or incurred by the taxpayer in connection with a qualified enhanced oil 
recovery project (as described in Sec. 1.43-2) undertaken with respect 
to the property. A taxpayer that does not own an operating mineral 
interest in a property may not claim the credit. To the extent a credit 
included in the current year business credit under section 38(b) is 
unused under section 38, the credit is carried back or forward under the 
section 39 business credit carryback and carryforward rules.
    (2) Examples. The following examples illustrate the principles of 
this paragraph (a).

    Example 1. Credit for operating mineral interest owner. In 1992, A, 
the owner of an operating mineral interest in a property, begins a 
qualified enhanced oil recovery project using cyclic steam. B, who owns 
no interest in the property, purchases and places in service a steam 
generator. B sells A steam, which A uses as a tertiary injectant 
described in section 193. Because A owns an operating mineral interest 
in the property with respect to which the project is undertaken, A may 
claim a credit for the cost of the steam. Although B owns the steam 
generator used to produce steam for the project, B may not claim a 
credit for B's costs because B does not own an operating mineral 
interest in the property.
    Example 2. Credit for operating mineral interest owner. C and D are 
partners in CD, a partnership that owns an operating mineral interest in 
a property. In 1992, CD begins a qualified enhanced oil recovery project 
using cyclic steam. D purchases a steam generator and sells steam to CD. 
Because CD owns an operating mineral interest in the property with 
respect to which the project is undertaken, CD may claim a credit for 
the cost of the steam. Although D owns the steam generator used to 
produce steam for the project, D may not claim a credit for the costs of 
the steam generator because D paid these costs

[[Page 183]]

in a capacity other than that of an operating mineral interest owner.

    (b) Amount of the credit. A taxpayer's credit is an amount equal to 
15 percent of the taxpayer's qualified enhanced oil recovery costs for 
the taxable year, reduced by the phase-out amount, if any, determined 
under paragraph (c) of this section.
    (c) Phase-out of the credit as crude oil prices increase--(1) In 
general. The amount of the credit (determined without regard to this 
paragraph (c)) for any taxable year is reduced by an amount which bears 
the same ratio to the amount of the credit (determined without regard to 
this paragraph (c)) as--
    (i) The amount by which the reference price determined under section 
29(d)(2)(C) for the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar 
year in which the taxable year begins exceeds $28 (as adjusted under 
paragraph (c)(2) of this section); bears to
    (ii) $6.
    (2) Inflation adjustment--(i) In general. For any taxable year 
beginning in a calendar year after 1991, an amount equal to $28 
multiplied by the inflation adjustment factor is substituted for the $28 
amount under paragraph (c)(1)(i) of this section.
    (ii) Inflation adjustment factor. For purposes of this paragraph 
(c), the inflation adjustment factor for any calendar year is a 
fraction, the numerator of which is the GNP implicit price deflator for 
the preceding calendar year and the denominator of which is the GNP 
implicit price deflator for 1990. The ``GNP implicit price deflator'' is 
the first revision of the implicit price deflator for the gross national 
product as computed and published by the Secretary of Commerce. As early 
as practicable, the inflation adjustment factor for each calendar year 
will be published by the Internal Revenue Service in the Internal 
Revenue Bulletin.
    (3) Examples. The following examples illustrate the principles of 
this paragraph (c).

    Example 1. Reference price exceeds $28. In 1992, E, the owner of an 
operating mineral interest in a property, incurs $100 of qualified 
enhanced oil recovery costs. The reference price for 1991 determined 
under section 29(d)(2)(C) is $30 and the inflation adjustment factor for 
1992 is 1. E's credit for 1992 determined without regard to the phase-
out for crude oil price increases is $15 ($100 x 15%). In determining 
E's credit, the credit is reduced by $5 ($15 x ($30 - ($28 x 1))/6). 
Accordingly, E's credit for 1992 is $10 ($15 - $5).
    Example 2. Inflation adjustment. In 1993, F, the owner of an 
operating mineral interest in a property, incurs $100 of qualified 
enhanced oil recovery costs. The 1992 reference price is $34, and the 
1993 inflation adjustment factor is 1.10. F's credit for 1993 determined 
without regard to the phase-out for crude oil price increases is $15 
($100 x 15%). In determining F's credit, $30.80 (1.10 x $28) is 
substituted for $28, and the credit is reduced by $8 ($15 x ($34 - 
$30.80)/6). Accordingly, F's credit for 1993 is $7 ($15 - $8).

    (d) Reduction of associated deductions--(1) In general. Any 
deduction allowable under chapter 1 for an expenditure taken into 
account in computing the amount of the credit determined under paragraph 
(b) of this section is reduced by the amount of the credit attributable 
to the expenditure.
    (2) Certain deductions by an integrated oil company. For purposes of 
determining the intangible drilling and development costs that an 
integrated oil company must capitalize under section 291(b), the amount 
allowable as a deduction under section 263(c) is the deduction allowable 
after paragraph (d)(1) of this section is applied. See Sec. 1.43-4(b)(2) 
(extent to which integrated oil company intangible drilling and 
development costs are qualified enhanced oil recovery costs).
    (e) Basis adjustment. For purposes of subtitle A, the increase in 
the basis of property which would (but for this paragraph (e)) result 
from an expenditure with respect to the property is reduced by the 
amount of the credit determined under paragraph (b) of this section 
attributable to the expenditure.
    (f) Passthrough entity basis adjustment--(1) Partners' interests in 
a partnership. To the extent a partnership expenditure is not deductible 
under paragraph (d)(1) of this section or does not increase the basis of 
property under paragraph (e) of this section, the expenditure is treated 
as an expenditure described in section 705(a)(2)(B) (concerning 
decreases to basis of partnership interests). Thus,

[[Page 184]]

the adjusted bases of the partners' interests in the partnership are 
decreased (but not below zero).
    (2) Shareholders' stock in an S corporation. To the extent an S 
corporation expenditure is not deductible under paragraph (d)(1) of this 
section or does not increase the basis of property under paragraph (e) 
of this section, the expenditure is treated as an expenditure described 
in section 1367(a)(2)(D) (concerning decreases to basis of S corporation 
stock). Thus, the bases of the shareholders' S corporation stock are 
decreased (but not below zero).
    (g) Examples. The following examples illustrate the principles of 
paragraphs (d) through (f) of this section.

    Example 1. Deductions reduced for credit amount. In 1992, G, the 
owner of an operating mineral interest in a property, incurs $100 of 
intangible drilling and development costs in connection with a qualified 
enhanced oil recovery project undertaken with respect to the property. G 
elects under section 263(c) to deduct these intangible drilling and 
development costs. The amount of the credit determined under paragraph 
(b) of this section attributable to the $100 of intangible drilling and 
development costs is $15 ($100 x 15%). Therefore, G's otherwise 
allowable deduction of $100 for the intangible drilling and development 
costs is reduced by $15. Accordingly, in 1992, G may deduct under 
section 263(c) only $85 ($100 - $15) for these costs.
    Example 2. Integrated oil company deduction reduced. The facts are 
the same as in Example 1, except that G is an integrated oil company. As 
in Example 1, the amount of the credit determined under paragraph (b) of 
this section attributable to the $100 of intangible drilling and 
development costs is $15, and G's allowable deduction under section 
263(c) is $85. Because G is an integrated oil company, G must capitalize 
25.50 ($85 x 30%) under section 291(b). Therefore, in 1992, G may deduct 
under section 263(c) only $59.50 ($85 - $25.50) for these intangible 
drilling and development costs.
    Example 3. Basis of property reduced. In 1992, H, the owner of an 
operating mineral interest in a property, pays $100 to purchase tangible 
property that is an integral part of a qualified enhanced oil recovery 
project undertaken with respect to the property. The amount of the 
credit determined under paragraph (b) of this section attributable to 
the $100 is $15 ($100 x 15%). Therefore, for purposes of subtitle A, H's 
basis in the tangible property is $85 ($100 - $15).
    Example 4. Basis of interest in passthrough entity reduced. In 1992, 
I is a $50% partner in IJ, a partnership that owns an operating mineral 
interest in a property. IJ pays $200 to purchase tangible property that 
is an integral part of a qualified enhanced oil recovery project 
undertaken with respect to the property. The amount of the credit 
determined under paragraph (b) of this section attributable to the $200 
is $30 ($200 x 15%). Therefore, for purposes of subtitle A, IJ's basis 
in the tangible property is $170 ($200 - $30). Under paragraph (f) of 
this section, the amount of the purchase price that does not increase 
the basis of the property ($30) is treated as an expenditure described 
in section 705(a)(2)(B). Therefore, I's basis in the partnership 
interest is reduced by $15 (I's allocable share of the section 
705(a)(2)(B) expenditure ($30 x 50%)).

[T.D. 8448, 57 FR 54923, Nov. 23, 1992; 58 FR 7987, Feb. 11, 1993]