Finance Act 1996

181 Overseas petroleum

(1) In subsection (1) of section 196 of the [1992 c. 12.] Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 (interpretation of sections 194 and 195), for “licence” there shall be substituted “UK licence”.

(2) After subsection (1) of section 196 of that Act there shall be inserted the following subsection—

“(1A) For the purposes of section 194 a licence other than a UK licence relates to an undeveloped area at any time if, at that time—

(a) no development has actually taken place in any part of the licensed area; and

(b) no condition for the carrying out of development anywhere in that area has been satisfied—

(i) by the grant of any consent by the authorities of a country or territory exercising jurisdiction in relation to the area; or

(ii) by the approval or service on the licensee, by any such authorities, of any programme of development.”;

and in subsection (2) of that section for “subsection (1) above” there shall be substituted “subsections (1) and (1A) above”.

(3) For subsection (5) of section 196 of that Act there shall be substituted the following subsections—

“(5) In sections 194 and 195 and this section—

• “foreign oil concession” means any right to search for or win overseas petroleum, being a right conferred or exercisable (whether or not by virtue of a licence) in relation to a particular area;

• “interest” in relation to a licence, includes, where there is an agreement which—

  (a)

  relates to oil from the whole or any part of the licensed area, and

  (b)

  was made before the extraction of the oil to which it relates,

  any entitlement under that agreement to, or to a share of, either that oil or the proceeds of its sale;

• “licence” means any UK licence or foreign oil concession;

• “licensed area” (subject to subsection (4) above)—

  (a)

  in relation to a UK licence, has the same meaning as in Part I of the [1975 c. 22.] Oil Taxation Act 1975; and

  (b)

  in relation to a foreign oil concession, means the area to which the concession applies;

• “licensee”—

  (a)

  in relation to a UK licence, has the same meaning as in Part I of the Oil Taxation Act 1975; and

  (b)

  in relation to a foreign oil concession, means the person with the concession or any person having an interest in it;

• “oil”—

  (a)

  except in relation to a UK licence, means any petroleum (within the meaning of the [1934 c. 36.] Petroleum (Production) Act 1934); and

  (b)

  in relation to such a licence, has the same meaning as in Part I of the Oil Taxation Act 1975;

• “overseas petroleum” means any oil that exists in its natural condition at a place to which neither the [1934 c. 36.] Petroleum (Production) Act 1934 nor the [1964 c. 28 (N.I.).] Petroleum (Production) Act (Northern Ireland) 1964 applies; and

• “UK licence” means a licence within the meaning of Part I of the [1975 c. 22.] Oil Taxation Act 1975.

(5A) References in sections 194 and 195 to a part disposal of a licence shall include references to the disposal of any interest in a licence.”

(4) Subsections (1) to (3) above shall have effect in relation to any disposal on or after 13th September 1995 and subsection (3) shall also have effect, and be deemed always to have had effect, for the construction of section 195 of the [1992 c. 12.] Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 in its application to disposals before that date.

(5) Where enactments re-enacted in the [1992 c. 12.] Taxation of Chargeable Gains Act 1992 apply, instead of that Act, in the case of any disposal before 13th September 1995, this section shall have effect as if it required amendments equivalent to those made by subsection (3) above to have effect, and be deemed always to have had effect, for the construction of any enactment corresponding to section 195 of that Act.