Subchapter A—Tax on Petroleum
4612.
Definitions and special rules.
§4611. Imposition of tax
(a) General Rule
There is hereby imposed a tax at the rate specified in subsection (c) on—
(1) crude oil received at a United States refinery, and
(2) petroleum products entered into the United States for consumption, use, or warehousing.
(b) Tax on certain uses and exportation
(1) In general
If—
(A) any domestic crude oil is used in or exported from the United States, and
(B) before such use or exportation, no tax was imposed on such crude oil under subsection (a),
then a tax at the rate specified in subsection (c) is hereby imposed on such crude oil.
(2) Exception for use on premises where produced
Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any use of crude oil for extracting oil or natural gas on the premises where such crude oil was produced.
(c) Rate of tax
(1) In general
The rate of the taxes imposed by this section is the sum of—
(A) the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate, and
(B) the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate.
(2) Rates
For purposes of paragraph (1)—
(A) the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate is 16.4 cents a barrel, and
(B) the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate is—
(i) in the case of crude oil received or petroleum products entered before January 1, 2017, 8 cents a barrel, and
(ii) in the case of crude oil received or petroleum products entered after December 31, 2016, 9 cents a barrel.
(3) Adjustment for inflation
(A) In general
In the case of a year beginning after 2023, the amount in paragraph (2)(A) shall be increased by an amount equal to—
(i) such amount, multiplied by
(ii) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year, determined by substituting "calendar year 2022" for "calendar year 2016" in subparagraph (A)(ii) thereof.
(B) Rounding
If any amount as adjusted under subparagraph (A) is not a multiple of $0.01, such amount shall be rounded to the next lowest multiple of $0.01.
(d) Persons liable for tax
(1) Crude oil received at refinery
The tax imposed by subsection (a)(1) shall be paid by the operator of the United States refinery.
(2) Imported petroleum product
The tax imposed by subsection (a)(2) shall be paid by the person entering the product for consumption, use, or warehousing.
(3) Tax on certain uses or exports
The tax imposed by subsection (b) shall be paid by the person using or exporting the crude oil, as the case may be.
(f) Application of Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate
(1) In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate under subsection (c) shall apply on and after April 1, 2006, or if later, the date which is 30 days after the last day of any calendar quarter for which the Secretary estimates that, as of the close of that quarter, the unobligated balance in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is less than $2,000,000,000.
(2) Termination
The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate shall not apply after December 31, 2025.
(Added Pub. L. 96–510, title II, §211(a), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2797; amended Pub. L. 99–499, title V, §§511(a), 512(a), (b), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1760, 1761; Pub. L. 99–509, title VIII, §8032(a), (c)(1), (2), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1957, 1958; Pub. L. 100–647, title VI, §6108, Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3712; Pub. L. 101–221, §8(a), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1891; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §7505(a), (b), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2363; Pub. L. 101–508, title XI, §11231(a)(1)(B), (2), (b), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–445; Pub. L. 109–58, title XIII, §1361, Aug. 8, 2005, 119 Stat. 1058; Pub. L. 110–343, div. B, title IV, §405(a)(1), (b)(1), (2), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3860, 3861; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, §221(a)(12)(I), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4039; Pub. L. 115–123, div. D, title I, §40416(a), Feb. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 152; Pub. L. 116–94, div. Q, title I, §134(a), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3234; Pub. L. 116–260, div. EE, title I, §117(a), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3051; Pub. L. 117–169, title I, §13601(a), Aug. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 1981.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
Amendments by Pub. L. 99–509, title VIII, §8031(a), (b), and (d)(1), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1955, to subsecs. (a) to (e) of this section were not executed to text pursuant to Pub. L. 99–509, title VIII, §8031(e)(2), which provided that the amendments made by section 8031 shall not take effect if the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 is enacted. The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 was enacted as Pub. L. 99–499, approved Oct. 17, 1986.
Amendments
2022—Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 117–169, §13601(a)(2)(A), substituted "16.4 cents" for "9.7 cents".
Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 117–169, §13601(a)(2)(B), added par. (3).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 117–169, §13601(a)(1), struck out subsec. (e) which related to application of Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate.
2020—Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 116–260 substituted "December 31, 2025" for "December 31, 2020".
2019—Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 116–94 substituted "December 31, 2020" for "December 31, 2018".
2018—Subsec. (f)(2). Pub. L. 115–123 substituted "December 31, 2018" for "December 31, 2017".
2014—Subsec. (e)(2)(B). Pub. L. 113–295, §221(a)(12)(I)(i), substituted "this section" for "section 59A, this section,".
Subsec. (e)(3)(A). Pub. L. 113–295, §221(a)(12)(I)(ii), struck out "section 59A," after "collected under" and comma after "rate)".
2008—Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 110–343, §405(a)(1), substituted "is—" for "is 5 cents a barrel." and added cls. (i) and (ii).
Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 110–343, §405(b)(2), substituted "paragraph (2)" for "paragraphs (2) and (3)".
Subsec. (f)(2), (3). Pub. L. 110–343, §405(b)(1), added par. (2) and struck out former pars. (2) and (3), which provided that the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate would not apply if the unobligated balance in the Fund exceeded $2,700,000,000 and that the Fund financing rate would not apply after Dec. 31, 2014.
2005—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 109–58 reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows:
"(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate under subsection (c) shall apply after December 31, 1989, and before January 1, 1995.
"(2) No tax if unobligated balance in fund exceeds $1,000,000,000.—The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate shall not apply during any calendar quarter if the Secretary estimates that as of the close of the preceding calendar quarter the unobligated balance in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund exceeds $1,000,000,000."
1990—Subsec. (e)(1). Pub. L. 101–508, §11231(a)(1)(B), substituted "January 1, 1996" for "January 1, 1992".
Subsec. (e)(2). Pub. L. 101–508, §11231(a)(2), substituted "1993" for "1989" and "1994" for "1990" in introductory provisions and "1994" for "1990" and "1995" for "1991" in subpar. (B) and concluding provisions.
Subsec. (e)(3). Pub. L. 101–508, §11231(b), substituted "$11,970,000,000" for "$6,650,000,000" in heading.
Subsec. (e)(3)(A). Pub. L. 101–508, §11231(b), substituted "December 31, 1995" for "December 31, 1991".
Subsec. (e)(3)(B). Pub. L. 101–508, §11231(a)(1)(B), (b), substituted "January 1, 1996" for "January 1, 1992" in heading and text and "$11,970,000,000" for "$6,650,000,000" in heading and twice in text.
1989—Subsec. (c)(2)(A). Pub. L. 101–221 amended subpar. (A) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (A) read as follows: "the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate is—
"(i) except as provided in clause (ii), 8.2 cents a barrel, and
"(ii) 11.7 cents a barrel in the case of the tax imposed by subsection (a)(2), and".
Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 101–239, §7505(b), substituted "5 cents" for "1.3 cents".
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–239, §7505(a)(1), amended subsec. (f) generally, substituting pars. (1) and (2) for former pars. (1) general applicability, (2) commencement date, and (3) limit on tax of $300,000,000.
1988—Subsec. (f)(2)(B). Pub. L. 100–647 substituted "December 31, 1990" for "September 1, 1987".
1986—Subsecs. (a), (b)(1). Pub. L. 99–499, §512(a), substituted "at the rate specified in subsection (c)" for "of 0.79 cent a barrel".
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–509, §8032(a), amended subsec. (c) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (c) read as follows:
"(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), the rate of the taxes imposed by this section is 8.2 cents a barrel.
"(2) Imported petroleum products.—The rate of the tax imposed by subsection (a)(2) shall be 11.7 cents a barrel."
Pub. L. 99–499, §512(b), added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–499, §512(b), redesignated subsec. (c) as (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–509, §8032(c)(1), substituted "Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate" for "taxes" in heading, substituted "the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate under this section" for "the taxes imposed by this section" in par. (1), inserted "(to the extent attributable to the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate)" after "this section" in pars. (2) and (3)(A), and substituted "the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate under this section shall not apply" for "no tax shall be imposed under this section" in par. (3)(B).
Pub. L. 99–499, §§511(a), 512(b), amended subsec. (d) generally and redesignated it as (e). Prior to amendment and redesignation, subsec. (d), termination, read as follows: "The taxes imposed by this section shall not apply after September 30, 1985, except that if on September 30, 1983, or September 30, 1984—
"(1) the unobligated balance in the Hazardous Substance Response Trust Fund as of such date exceeds $900,000,000, and
"(2) the Secretary, after consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, determines that such unobligated balance will exceed $500,000,000 on September 30 of the following year if no tax is imposed under section 4611 or 4661 during the calendar year following the date referred to above,
then no tax shall be imposed by this section during the first calendar year beginning after the date referred to in paragraph (1)."
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 99–509, §8032(c)(2), added subsec. (f).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2022 Amendment
Pub. L. 117–169, title I, §13601(c), Aug. 16, 2022, 136 Stat. 1982, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and section 9507 of this title] shall take effect on January 1, 2023."
Effective Date of 2020 Amendment
Pub. L. 116–260, div. EE, title I, §117(b), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 3051, provided that: "The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply on and after January 1, 2021."
Effective Date of 2019 Amendment
Pub. L. 116–94, div. Q, title I, §134(b), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3234, provided that: "The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply on and after the first day of the first calendar month beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 20, 2019]."
Effective Date of 2018 Amendment
Pub. L. 115–123, div. D, title I, §40416(b), Feb. 9, 2018, 132 Stat. 152, provided that: "The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall apply on and after the first day of the first calendar month beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Feb. 9, 2018]."
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 113–295 effective Dec. 19, 2014, subject to a savings provision, see section 221(b) of Pub. L. 113–295, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Pub. L. 110–343, div. B, title IV, §405(a)(2), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3860, provided that: "The amendment made by this subsection [amending this section] shall apply on and after the first day of the first calendar quarter beginning more than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 3, 2008]."
Pub. L. 110–343, div. B, title IV, §405(b)(3), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3861, provided that: "The amendments made by this subsection [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 3, 2008]."
Effective Date of 1989 Amendment
Pub. L. 101–221, §8(b), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1891, provided that: "The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 12, 1989]."
Effective Date of 1986 Amendments
Pub. L. 99–509, title VIII, §8032(d), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1959, as amended by Pub. L. 99–514, §2, Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2095, provided that:
"(1) In general.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 4612, 4661, 4671, and 9507 of this title] shall take effect on the commencement date (as defined in [former] section 4611(f)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954], as added by this section).
"(2) Coordination with superfund reauthorization.—The amendments made by this section shall take effect only if the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 [Pub. L. 99–499, approved Oct. 17, 1986] is enacted."
[Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §7505(d)(1), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2363, provided that: "For purposes of sections 8032(d) and 8033(c) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 [Pub. L. 99–509, set out as notes above and under section 9509 of this title], the commencement date is January 1, 1990."]
Pub. L. 99–499, title V, §511(c), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1761, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and repealing section 9653 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare] shall take effect on January 1, 1987."
Pub. L. 99–499, title V, §512(d), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1761, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section and section 4612 of this title] shall take effect on January 1, 1987."
Effective Date
Pub. L. 96–510, title II, §211(c), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2801, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [enacting subchapters A and B of this chapter] shall take effect on April 1, 1981."
Short Title
For short title of title II of Pub. L. 96–510 as the "Hazardous Substance Response Revenue Act of 1980", see Short Title of 1980 Amendment note, set out under section 1 of this title.
§4612. Definitions and special rules
(a) Definitions
For purposes of this subchapter—
(1) Crude oil
The term "crude oil" includes crude oil condensates and natural gasoline.
(2) Domestic crude oil
The term "domestic crude oil" means any crude oil produced from a well located in the United States.
(3) Petroleum product
The term "petroleum product" includes crude oil.
(4) United States
(A) In general
The term "United States" means the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any possession of the United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.
(B) United States includes continental shelf areas
The principles of section 638 shall apply for purposes of the term "United States".
(C) United States includes foreign trade zones
The term "United States" includes any foreign trade zone of the United States.
(5) United States refinery
The term "United States refinery" means any facility in the United States at which crude oil is refined.
(6) Refineries which produce natural gasoline
In the case of any United States refinery which produces natural gasoline from natural gas, the gasoline so produced shall be treated as received at such refinery at the time so produced.
(7) Premises
The term "premises" has the same meaning as when used for purposes of determining gross income from the property under section 613.
(8) Barrel
The term "barrel" means 42 United States gallons.
(9) Fractional part of barrel
In the case of a fraction of a barrel, the tax imposed by section 4611 shall be the same fraction of the amount of such tax imposed on a whole barrel.
(b) Only 1 tax imposed with respect to any product
No tax shall be imposed by section 4611 with respect to any petroleum product if the person who would be liable for such tax establishes that a prior tax imposed by such section has been imposed with respect to such product.
(c) Credit where crude oil returned to pipeline
Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, if an operator of a United States refinery—
(1) removes crude oil from a pipeline, and
(2) returns a portion of such crude oil into a stream of other crude oil in the same pipeline,
there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by section 4611 to such operator an amount equal to the product of the rate of tax imposed by section 4611 on the crude oil so removed by such operator and the number of barrels of crude oil returned by such operator to such pipeline. Any crude oil so returned shall be treated for purposes of this subchapter as crude oil on which no tax has been imposed by section 4611.
(d) Credit against portion of tax attributable to oil spill rate
There shall be allowed as a credit against so much of the tax imposed by section 4611 as is attributable to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate for any period an amount equal to the excess of—
(1) the sum of—
(A) the aggregate amounts paid by the taxpayer before January 1, 1987, into the Deepwater Port Liability Trust Fund and the Offshore Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, and
(B) the interest accrued on such amounts before such date, over
(2) the amount of such payments taken into account under this subsection for all prior periods.
The preceding sentence shall also apply to amounts paid by the taxpayer into the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund to the extent of amounts transferred from such Fund into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. For purposes of this subsection, all taxpayers which would be members of the same affiliated group (as defined in section 1504(a)) if section 1504(a)(2) were applied by substituting "100 percent" for "80 percent" shall be treated as 1 taxpayer.
(e) Income tax credit for unused payments into Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund
(1) In general
For purposes of section 38, the current year business credit shall include the credit determined under this subsection.
(2) Determination of credit
(A) In general
The credit determined under this subsection for any taxable year is an amount equal to the aggregate credit which would be allowed to the taxpayer under subsection (d) for amounts paid into the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund had the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate not ceased to apply.
(B) Limitation
(i) In general
The amount of the credit determined under this subsection for any taxable year with respect to any taxpayer shall not exceed the excess of—
(I) the amount determined under clause (ii), over
(II) the aggregate amount of the credit determined under this subsection for prior taxable years with respect to such taxpayer.
(ii) Overall limitation
The amount determined under this clause with respect to any taxpayer is the excess of—
(I) the aggregate amount of credit which would have been allowed under subsection (d) to the taxpayer for periods before the termination date specified in section 4611(f)(1), if amounts in the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund which are actually transferred into the Oil Spill Liability Fund were transferred on January 1, 1990, and the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate did not terminate before such termination date, over
(II) the aggregate amount of the credit allowed under subsection (d) to the taxpayer.
(3) Cost of income tax credit borne by Trust Fund
(A) In general
The Secretary shall from time to time transfer from the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to the general fund of the Treasury amounts equal to the credits allowed by reason of this subsection.
(B) Trust Fund balance may not be reduced below $1,000,000,000
Transfers may be made under subparagraph (A) only to the extent that the unobligated balance of the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund exceeds $1,000,000,000. If any transfer is not made by reason of the preceding sentence, such transfer shall be made as soon as permitted under such sentence.
(4) No carryback
No portion of the unused business credit for any taxable year which is attributable to the credit determined under this subsection may be carried to a taxable year beginning on or before the date of the enactment of this paragraph.
(f) Disposition of revenues from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands
The provisions of subsections (a)(3) and (b)(3) of section 7652 shall not apply to any tax imposed by section 4611.
(Added Pub. L. 96–510, title II, §211(a), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2798; amended Pub. L. 99–499, title V, §512(c), Oct. 17, 1986, 100 Stat. 1761; Pub. L. 99–509, title VIII, §8032(b), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1957; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, §7505(c), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2363; Pub. L. 101–380, title IX, §9002, Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 574; Pub. L. 102–486, title XIX, §1922(a), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3028; Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, §401(a)(223), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1194.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The date of the enactment of this paragraph, referred to in subsec. (e)(4), is the date of the enactment of Pub. L. 102–486, which was approved Oct. 24, 1992.
Codification
Amendments by Pub. L. 99–509, title VIII, §8031(c), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1955, to subsecs. (c) and (d) of this section were not executed to text pursuant to Pub. L. 99–509, title VIII, §8031(e)(2), which provided that the amendments made by section 8031 shall not take effect if the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 is enacted. The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 was enacted as Pub. L. 99–499, approved Oct. 17, 1986.
Amendments
2018—Subsec. (e)(2)(B)(ii)(I). Pub. L. 115–141 substituted "were transferred" for "were tranferred".
1992—Subsecs. (e), (f). Pub. L. 102–486 added subsec. (e) and redesignated former subsec. (e) as (f).
1990—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–380 substituted at end "For purposes of this subsection, all taxpayers which would be members of the same affiliated group (as defined in section 1504(a)) if section 1504(a)(2) were applied by substituting '100 percent' for '80 percent' shall be treated as 1 taxpayer." for "Amounts may be transferred from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund only to the extent the administrators of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund determine that such amounts are not needed to satisfy claims against such Fund."
1989—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–239 inserted at end "The preceding sentence shall also apply to amounts paid by the taxpayer into the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund to the extent of amounts transferred from such Fund into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. Amounts may be transferred from the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund into the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund only to the extent the administrators of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Liability Fund determine that such amounts are not needed to satisfy claims against such Fund."
1986—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–499 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–509 added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e).
Pub. L. 99–499 redesignated former subsec. (c) as (d).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–509 redesignated former subsec. (d) as (e).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Pub. L. 102–486, title XIX, §1922(b), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3029, provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall apply to taxable years beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [Oct. 24, 1992]."
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 101–380 applicable to incidents occurring after Aug. 18, 1990, see section 1020 of Pub. L. 101–380, set out as an Effective Date note under section 2701 of Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters.
Effective Date of 1986 Amendments
Amendment by Pub. L. 99–509 effective on commencement date as defined in section 4611(f)(2), see section 8032(d) of Pub. L. 99–509, set out as a note under section 4611 of this title.
Amendment by Pub. L. 99–499 effective Jan. 1, 1987, see section 512(d) of Pub. L. 99–499, set out as a note under section 4611 of this title.
Executive Documents
Termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
For termination of Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, see note set out preceding section 1681 of Title 48, Territories and Insular Possessions.