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HB0189 • 2021

Mine product taxes for natural gas consumed on-site.

AN ACT relating to mine product taxes; clarifying the imposition of severance taxes on natural gas that is consumed on-site; making conforming amendments; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

Energy Land Taxes
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Representative Hunt
Last action
2021-04-14
Official status
enrolled
Effective date
1/1/2022

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about conforming amendments, so this claim was removed.

Natural Gas Taxes for On-Site Use

This law changes how natural gas used on-site is taxed, making it subject to taxes if not exempt under certain conditions.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies that natural gas consumed on-site for any purpose except those listed in W.S. 39-14-205(j) and (m) is taxable.
  • Defines a 'qualifying well' where natural gas can be exempt from taxes if it would have been vented or flared, but the pipeline capacity is unavailable or connecting to an existing pipeline is not feasible.
  • Requires the Department of Revenue to create rules for implementing these changes by January 1, 2022.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Natural gas producers who consume their own natural gas on-site.
  • The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission which certifies whether a well is 'qualifying'.
  • The Department of Revenue responsible for rulemaking.

Terms To Know

Qualifying Well
A well where natural gas can be exempt from taxes if it would have been vented or flared, but the pipeline capacity is unavailable or connecting to an existing pipeline is not feasible.
Severance Tax
A tax on the extraction of minerals and other non-renewable resources like natural gas.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how exemptions will be verified or enforced.
  • It is unclear what happens if a producer fails to file an application with the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission as required for exemption.
  • The effectiveness of rulemaking by the Department of Revenue depends on their timely implementation.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HB0189HS001

Standing Committee • House Revenue Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds definitions for 'qualifying well' and exempts certain on-site consumed natural gas from taxes if it would otherwise be vented or flared.

  • Adds a new definition of 'qualifying well' that includes wells with existing pipeline connections but lacking capacity, unconnected wells dedicated to pipelines under specific conditions, and unilaterally attested non-connected wells.
  • Modifies the bill text to include on-site consumed natural gas or sold for on-site consumption in tax considerations.
  • Exempts from taxation natural gas originating from a qualifying well that would otherwise be vented or flared.
  • The amendment's technical language may require further clarification for full understanding.
HB0189SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Revenue Committee

Corrected, Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the language in a bill about taxes on natural gas used at mining sites to clarify how these taxes are calculated.

  • Removes specific references to subsections of tax laws and clarifies definitions related to 'consumed' natural gas.
  • Modifies sentences to remove unnecessary words and improve clarity regarding the conditions under which certain provisions apply.
  • The amendment text is technical, focusing on legal language changes rather than providing a clear explanation of how these changes affect tax calculations or regulations for mining operations.

Bill History

  1. 2021-04-14 LSO

    Assigned Chapter Number 156

  2. 2021-04-14 Governor

    Governor Signed HEA No. 0090

  3. 2021-04-06 Senate

    S President Signed HEA No. 0090

  4. 2021-04-06 House

    H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0090

  5. 2021-04-06 LSO

    Assigned Number HEA No. 0090

  6. 2021-04-06 House

    H Concur:Passed 36-20-3-0-1

  7. 2021-04-06 House

    H Received for Concurrence

  8. 2021-04-02 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 26-2-2-0-0

  9. 2021-04-02 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  10. 2021-04-01 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  11. 2021-03-31 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  12. 2021-03-31 Senate

    S03 - Revenue:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 4-0-1-0-0

  13. 2021-03-26 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S03 - Revenue

  14. 2021-03-25 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  15. 2021-03-24 House

    H 3rd Reading:Passed 31-28-0-0-1

  16. 2021-03-23 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  17. 2021-03-22 House

    H COW:Passed

  18. 2021-03-19 House

    H Placed on General File

  19. 2021-03-19 House

    H03 - Revenue:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 5-2-1-0-1

  20. 2021-03-18 House

    H03 - Revenue:Do Pass Failed 4-4-0-0-1

  21. 2021-03-05 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H03 - Revenue

  22. 2021-03-04 House

    H Received for Introduction

  23. 2021-03-02 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 21LSO-0288
Bill No.:

HB0189

Effective:

Multiple Dates

LSO No.:

21LSO-0288

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0090

Chapter No.:

156

Prime Sponsor:

Hunt

Catch Title:

Mine product taxes for natural gas consumed on-site.

Subject:

Clarifying the applicability of severance taxes for natural gas consumed on-site.

Summary/Major Elements:

Under current law, natural gas that is vented and flared on-site, that is reinjected or consumed before sale to maintain, treat, or transport crude oil or natural gas, or that is consumed before sale to treat by-product water is exempt from severance taxes.

This act provides that natural gas that is consumed for any other purpose is subject to severance taxes.

The act clarifies that natural gas that is consumed on-site and would have been vented and flared is exempt from taxation as long as the gas comes from a qualifying well, which is a well in which: (1) a well site is already connected to a pipeline, but the pipeline lacks takeaway capacity; (2) a producer's well is not connected to an existing pipeline but the producer's lands are dedicated to a pipeline operator; or (3) a producer's well is not connected to an existing pipeline but is not contractually dedicated, and the producer files an attestation to that.

The act requires the Department of Revenue to adopt rules to implement the changes in this act.

Comments:
The act is effective on January 1, 2022, but the rulemaking authority is effective immediately.
The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
21LSO-0288

ORIGINAL House

ENGROSSED
Bill No
.
HB0189

ENROLLED ACT NO. 90,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2021 General Session

AN ACT relating to mine product taxes; clarifying the imposition of severance taxes on natural gas that is consumed on-site; making conforming amendments; requiring rulemaking; and providing for effective dates.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 39
‑
14
‑
201(a)(xv) and by creating a new paragraph (xxxvii), 39
‑
14
‑
203(b)(v) and 39
‑
14
‑
205 by creating a new subsection (p) are amended to read:

39
‑
14
‑
201.

Definitions.

(a)

As used in this article:

(xv)

"Natural gas" means all gases, both hydrocarbon and nonhydrocarbon, that occur naturally beneath the earth's crust and are produced from an oil or gas well. For the purposes of taxation, the term natural gas includes
:

(A)

P
roducts separated for sale or distribution during processing of the natural gas stream including, but not limited to plant condensate, natural gas liquids and sulfur;

(B)

Natural gas that is consumed on the site where the natural gas is produced for any purpose except for those specified in W.S. 39
‑
14
‑
205(j) and (m).

(xxxvii)

"Qualifying well" means a well in which:

(A)

A well site is already connected to a pipeline, pipeline capacity is unavailable on the existing
pipeline and the producer and the pipeline operator jointly have filed an application with the Wyoming oil and gas conservation commission attesting to the lack of existing pipeline takeaway capacity;

(B)

A producer's well is not connected to an existing pipeline but the producer's lands, leases, wells or gas are contractually dedicated to a pipeline operator and the producer and the pipeline operator to which the lands, leases, well, or gas are dedicated jointly have filed an application with the Wyoming oil and gas conservation commission attesting that it is either technically or commercially unfeasible to connect a pipeline to the producer's well; or

(C)

A producer's well is not already connected to an existing pipeline and the producer's lands, leases, wells or gas are not contractually dedicated but the producer unilaterally has filed an application with the Wyoming oil and gas conservation commission attesting to these facts.

39
‑
14
‑
203.

Imposition.

(b)

Basis of tax.

The following shall apply:

(v)

If the crude oil, lease condensate or natural gas production as provided by paragraphs (iii) and (iv) of this subsection are
consumed as defined by W.S. 39
‑
14
‑
201(a)(xv)(B), processed or transported,
sold to a third party
,
or processed or transported by a third party
,
at or prior to the point of valuation provided in paragraphs (iii) and (iv) of this subsection, the fair market value shall be the value established by bona fide arms
‑
length transaction;

39
‑
14
‑
205.

Exemptions.

(p)

Natural gas that is consumed on the site and would have otherwise been vented or flared under the authority of the Wyoming oil and gas conservation commission has no value and is exempt from taxation as long as the natural gas is certified by the Wyoming oil and gas conservation commission as to have originated from a qualifying well.

Section 2
.

The department of revenue shall adopt rules under W.S. 39
‑
11
‑
102 as necessary to implement the changes to mine product taxes in section 1 of this act for tax years beginning in 2022.

Section 3
.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, this act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(b) Section 1 of this act is effective January 1, 2022.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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