Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992

195 Allowance of certain drilling expenditure etc

(1) On the disposal of a licence, relevant qualifying expenditure incurred by the person making the disposal—

(a) in searching for oil anywhere in the licensed area, or

(b) in ascertaining the extent or characteristics of any oil-bearing area the whole or part of which lies in the licensed area or what the reserves of oil of any such oil-bearing area are,

shall be treated as expenditure falling within section 38(1)(b).

(2) Expenditure incurred as mentioned in subsection (1) above is relevant expenditure if, and only if—

(a) it is expenditure of a capital nature on scientific research; and

(b) either it was allowed or allowable under section 137 of the 1990 Act (capital expenditure on scientific research) for a relevant chargeable period which, or the basis year for which, began before the date of the disposal or it would have been so allowable if the trading condition had been fulfilled; and

(c) the disposal is an occasion by virtue of which section 138 of the 1990 Act (termination of user of assets representing scientific research expenditure of a capital nature) applies in relation to the expenditure or would apply if the trading condition had been fulfilled and the expenditure had been allowed accordingly.

(3) In subsection (2) above and subsection (4) below, the expression “if the trading condition had been fulfilled” means, in relation to expenditure of a capital nature on scientific research, if, after the expenditure was incurred but before the disposal concerned was made, the person incurring the expenditure had set up and commenced a trade connected with that research; and in subsection (2)(b) above—

• “relevant chargeable period” has the same meaning as in section 137 of the 1990 Act; and

• “basis year” has the same meaning as in subsection (6)(c) of that section.

(4) Relevant expenditure is qualifying expenditure only to the extent that it does not exceed the trading receipt which, by reason of the disposal—

(a) is treated as accruing under section 138(2) of the 1990 Act; or

(b) would be treated as so accruing if the trading condition had been fulfilled and the expenditure had been allowed accordingly.

(5) On the disposal of a licence, sections 37 and 41 shall apply in relation to any such trading receipt as is mentioned in subsection (4)(a) above as if it were a balancing charge falling to be made by reference to the disposal.

(6) Where, on the disposal of a licence, subsection (1) above has effect in relation to any relevant qualifying expenditure which had not in fact been allowed or become allowable as mentioned in subsection (2)(b) above—

(a) no allowance shall be made in respect of that expenditure under section 137 of the 1990 Act; and

(b) no deduction shall be allowed in respect of it under section 138(3) of that Act.

(7) Where, on the disposal of a licence which is a part disposal, subsection (1) above has effect in relation to any relevant qualifying expenditure, then, for the purposes of section 42, that expenditure shall be treated as wholly attributable to what is disposed of (and, accordingly, shall not be apportioned as mentioned in that section).