Intangible drilling costs (idcs) associated with oil and gas dpps can generally

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What are IDCs?

Quite simply, Intangible Drilling Costs (IDCs) represent all expenses an operator may incur at the wellsite that don’t – by themselves – produce a physical asset for the producer. In the oil and natural gas business, those costs include things like labor and site preparation, renting drilling rigs – costs that have no salvage value after they are spent.

The standard IDC tax deduction – which has been around in one form or another for 100 years — allows producers to recover those investment costs quickly and reinvest them in exploring for, and hopefully producing, new American oil and natural gas supplies. Since 1913, IDCs have allowed producers to invest literally hundreds of billions of dollars in finding and delivering new energy that might not have been available without them.  For America’s 7,000-plus independent oil and natural gas producers (who drill more than 90 percent of the nation’s wells), IDCs can be deducted in the year they are spent or spread over 60 months.  Independent producers are in the business of exploring for and producing oil and natural gas.  The integrated companies (who have marketing or retail operations like gasoline stations) must amortize 30 percent of IDCs over 60 months and can deduct the remaining 70 percent in the year they are spent or spread them over 60 months.

Drilling a well does not guarantee resource production; the IDCs deduction enables America’s independent oil and gas producers to continue exploring even when a well is unsuccessful and reinvesting production revenues when they are.  Independent producers reinvest as much as 150 percent of their US cash flow in new US projects. This investment and reinvestment in America’s vibrant oil and natural gas production sector supports the small businesses and the countless other industries and consumers who benefit from affordable, secure American energy.

Intangible drilling costs (idcs) associated with oil and gas dpps can generally

Do Other Industries Get IDCs?

The terminology might be different, but IDCs are just like tax deductions available to many American industries – to farmers for fertilizer and to technology companies for research and development.  Even bakeries have deductible costs.  Their supplies—sugar, flour, eggs—are all tax deductible raw materials, along with labor costs.  No matter the industry, these are all upfront costs facing nearly every American small business owner with no guaranteed return on investment. In fact, IDCs are no different than costs that are immediately deductible under the general tax law that applies to all business losses – vital deductions, not government handouts, that help American businesses.

Why Are IDCs Important For America?

IDCs were put in place to reflect the deduction of expenses specifically for oil and natural gas production – and that’s just what they do.  Removing this 100-year-old tax provision from the code would not only strip away roughly 25 percent of the capital available for independent producers to continue looking for new oil and natural gas, but also diminish the many economic benefits created by those activities.  Independent producers support over 4 million direct, indirect, and induced jobs – in the lower 48 states alone – while providing billions in revenue and taxes.  In 2010 alone, onshore upstream taxes amounted to $67.7 billion.

Intangible drilling costs (idcs) associated with oil and gas dpps can generally


Are you an accredited investor interested in oil and natural gas tax advantages? If so, know that you can enjoy tax deductions for both tangible and intangible drilling costs. To better understand why the tax deductions of intangible and tangible oil and gas drilling costs differ, it’s essential to have a solid idea of just what these costs mean.

Tangible Costs of Oil Drilling

Tangible costs related to drilling for oil and natural gas have to be depreciated over seven years. These costs pertain to the direct cost of the drilling equipment such as drilling rigs, tractors, trailers, tandem trucks, dozers, and excavators to name a few.

Intangible Oil and Gas Drilling Costs

Intangible drilling costs include expenses associated with:

  • Mud drilling
  • Employees
  • Chemicals
  • Supplies
  • The fracking process
  • Crews

Tax Advantages of Oil and Natural Gas Investments

Natural gas and oil investments yield tax benefits to investors. Why? It’s because the U.S. government wishes to encourage domestic production of energy sources — like oil & natural gas — to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign fuels.

However, to benefit from tax advantages and make smart investments, you need support.

Oil and natural gas investments are not like those in any other field, so enlisting the help of a knowledgeable professional is crucial.

At Viper Capital Partners, our team has over five decades of experience facilitating capital formation and management within the oil and natural gas industry. We’ve handled many cases dealing with natural gas and oil investments, as well as deduction options for both tangible and intangible drilling costs.

Tax Deductions for Tangible Drilling Costs

As an investor, you’ll enjoy a 100% deduction on tangible drilling costs — expenses that must be diminished over the course of seven years.

For example, let’s say it costs an investor $300,000 to drill a well. If it were determined that 75% – or $225,000 — of those expenses would be considered intangible costs, that means the remaining 25% would be regarded as tangible. What’s more, the remaining $75,000 in tangible drilling costs could be written off according to a seven-year schedule.

Tax Deductions for Intangible Drilling Costs

Intangible oil and gas drilling costs represent one of the most substantial tax breaks available for oil companies. Independent natural gas producers can now choose to immediately deduct all of their intangible drilling costs.

Intangible oil and gas drilling costs roughly constitute 60 to 80% of the total cost of drilling a well. Intangible drilling costs are 100% tax-deductible in the year incurred.

In other words, intangible drilling cost tax deductions are available in the year the money was invested, even if the parties do not start drilling until March 31 of the year following the contribution of capital.

As a leader in capital placement and deployment throughout the energy ecosystem, Viper Capital Partners is the ideal capital formation entity to meet your drilling investment needs.

If you’re ready to reach your financial goals as they relate to drilling for natural gas, contact us today.

Which of the following are considered intangible drilling costs IDCS for an oil and gas DPP quizlet?

Labor, fuel, or drilling rig rental. Intangible drilling costs are the noncapital costs of putting in a well. They are currently deductible expenses, like fuel, wages, and rent.

What is an intangible drilling cost?

Intangible drilling costs are defined as costs related to drilling and necessary for the preparation of wells for production, but that have no salvageable value. These include costs for wages, fuel, supplies, repairs, survey work, and ground clearing. They compose roughly 60 to 80 percent of total drilling costs.

Why are intangible drilling costs expensed by most taxpayers?

The steps required to get an oil well up and running are defined as intangible drilling costs. These preparatory expenses have been tax-deductible in the U.S. since 1913. The deduction is intended to encourage the costly and risky process of developing new oil and gas wells.

Which of the following types of oil and gas direct participation programs is the riskiest?

The investor partners with a company that drills wells in an already-proven area. Exploratory Drilling Program – considered as a 'high risk, but high reward' kind of investment. This could also be thought of as the riskiest kind of program.