Images de page
PDF
ePub

STATES HAVE ALSO TAKEN ACTION TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO DOMESTIC OIL PRODUCERS

ALABAMA

KANSAS

-

[ocr errors]

LOUISIANA

-

-

The "privilege tax" on Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) production was reduced from 8 percent to 4 percent in 1985.

The Kansas Corporation Commission reduced electricity rates for oil and gas leases, cutting
costs by 15 to 20 percent and thereby postponing the shut-in of some marginal production.
Production from new oil and gas wells has been made exempt from the 6 percent state severance
tax until January 1, 1990, or until the price of West Texas Intermediate Crude oil exceeds
$29.50 per barrel. "Low production" wells are also exempt through July 1, 1988. This is
expected to lead to the drilling of more than 200 new wells and the creation of approximately
10,000 new jobs in Louisiana.

MISSISSIPPI The severance tax for carbon dioxide projects was reduced in 1984, as an incentive to EOR production.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors]

Severance tax on oil was reduced from 6 percent to 5 percent for conventional oil and from
5 percent to 2.5 percent on new incremental tertiary production in 1984. The "Net Proceeds
Tax" was restructured in 1985 to allow relief for production from discoveries made after
July 1, 1985.

The state is participating in a major study to evaluate the benefits from a tertiary recovery
incentive program. This study could serve as a model for nationwide evaluation of Enhanced

Oil Recovery incentives.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission reduced electricity rates for oil and gas leases, thus
reducing the operating costs of marginal wells and postponing the need to shut in
production. The plugging deadline for inactive wells has been extended from 90 days to
2 years.

The Texas Railroad Commission changed its well-plugging rules to allow inactive wells to remain unplugged for up to 1 year, rather than 90 days.

- 15

[graphic]

THE INTERCONNECTED OIL MARKET

[ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AMONG OIL-CONSUMING NATIONS IS ESSENTIAL

There is but one, integrated world oil market. A barrel of oil or energy conserved, produced (whether nuclear, coal, gas or renewables), or stocked in one nation helps all other nations to reduce collective dependence on insecure oil supplies. Conversely, overdependence on a single source of supply, even by one nation, has a negative affect on the energy security of other nations.

-

The energy security concerns created by the location of about 60 percent of the world's cheap oil reserves in the Persian Gulf -- a potentially unstable region are concerns for all oil-consuming nations. No individual country, not even one as large and economically powerful as the United States, can insulate itself from the impacts of a major oil supply disruption with attendant oil price increases. To achieve the goal of adequate energy security requires international cooperation among oil-consuming nations.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) was established in 1974 to deal with international energy issues. The agency has been instrumental in preparing participant countries to deal with, and preferably prevent, energy security threats by providing a forum for the development and implementation of cooperative policies among member countries.

In 1983, IEA member countries agreed to guard against increased vulnerability from reliance on insecure energy supplies and, in particular, to avoid undue dependence on any one source of natural gas imports and to obtain future gas supplies from secure sources.

In 1984, IEA participants reaffirmed their commitment to the importance of adequate government oil stocks and early coordinated stock draw in the event of a supply disruption.

In 1985, IEA energy ministers, largely in response to a strong stand taken by Secretary of Energy Herrington, made considerable progress toward implementing an effective market-based international energy agenda. The challenge now is to maintain the momentum of the 1985 agreements and actively strengthen them in response to the dramatic energy events in the spring of 1986 the world oil price collapse .

-

Chernobyl and

16

AGENDA FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

INCREASE IEA GOVERNMENT STRATEGIC OIL STOCKS AND
COORDINATE EARLY GOVERNMENT STOCK DRAWDOWN
DURING DISRUPTIONS

AVOID GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN MARKETS AND REMOVE BARRIERS TO ENERGY TRADE AND PRODUCTION

- SEEK A BALANCED AND DIVERSIFIED ENERGY SUPPLY SYSTEM INCLUDING DIVERSIFICATION OF OIL AND GAS SUPPLIES FROM INSECURE SOURCES

SEEK PRODUCTIVE COLLABORATION ON COSTLY ENERGY RESEARCH AN DEVELOPMENT

THE UNITED STATES SUPPORTS A STRONG INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENDA

The United States supports a strong market-based international energy agenda:

-

Government Stockpiles The most cost-effective strategy to cope with disruptions
is through coordinated build and drawdown strategies for government crude oil
stockpiles (as called for in the July 1984 IEA agreement adopted at U.S. urging).
The U.S. continues to favor early and extensive use of strategic oil stocks to
minimize the adverse economic consequences of an oil supply disruption.

-

Avoid Government Intervention and Remove Barriers to Trade The U.S. government
remains opposed to the imposition of oil import fees, restrictions on refined
product imports, or other actions that might inhibit free trade in energy. The
U.S., for example, welcomed Japan's removal of its ban on imported gasoline.

A Balanced and Diversified Energy Supply System -- The U.S. supports actions to
continue the safe and reliable growth of nuclear power (including streamlined
nuclear plant licensing, standardized designs, radioactive waste management
programs, and strong nonproliferation goals and practices), and to remove
regulatory and other impediments to the efficient use of natural gas, coal and
renewables. Such actions increase the ability of these fuels to substitute for
oil and will limit the extent to which future oil prices can increase.
also supports economic actions to diversify oil and gas supplies away from
insecure sources.

-

The U.S.

International Collaboration on Energy R & D The U.S. remains a strong supporter
of international energy R & D efforts and supports the concept of joint research
and development programs, including the allocation of research tasks within such
programs. Within existing budget constraints, the U.S. further supports the IEA
objective of pursuing R&D actions in clean use of coal, advanced techniques of
resource exploitation and energy technology information systems, while continuing
to support the ongoing activities in fossil fuels, renewable energy, fusion
technology and greater energy efficiency.

o This fall and winter, Secretary of Energy Herrington and other government
officials plan to attend a variety of meetings with high level officials in the
IEA and other nations to foster communication and to stimulate new efforts at
international energy cooperation. In addition to the exchange of information and
views, the U.S. will seek mutual agreement on a strong market-based agenda for
international energy actions that moves us toward a more secure energy future.

[blocks in formation]
« PrécédentContinuer »