Sec. 1.193-1 Deduction for tertiary injectant expenses.

(1) The taxable year in which the injectant is injected, or

(2) The taxable year in which the expenses are paid or incurred.

(1) Qualified tertiary injectant expenses.

Except as otherwise provided in this section, the term "qualified tertiary injectant expense" means any cost paid or incurred for any tertiary injectant which is used as part of a tertiary recovery method.

(2) Tertiary recovery method.

"Tertiary recovery method" means:

(1) In general.

If an injectant contains more than an insignificant amount of recoverable hydrocarbons, the amount deductible under section 193 and paragraph (a) of this section shall be limited to the cost of the injectant reduced by the lesser of:

(2) Presumption of recoverability.

Except to the extent that the taxpayer can demonstrate otherwise, all hydrocarbons shall be presumed recoverable and shall be presumed to have the same value on recovery that they would have if separated from the other components of the injectant before injection. Estimates based on generally accepted engineering practices may provide evidence of limitations on the amount or value of recoverable hydrocarbons.

(3) Significant amount.

For purposes of section 193 and this section, an injectant contains more than an insignificant amount of recoverable hydrocarbons if the fair market value of the recoverable hydrocarbon component of the injectant, in the form in which it is recovered, equals or exceeds 25 percent of the cost of the injectant.

(4) Hydrocarbon defined.

For purposes of section 193 and this section, the term hydrocarbon means all forms of natural gas and crude oil (which includes oil recovered from sources such as oil shale and condensate).

(5) Injectant defined.

For purposes of applying this paragraph (c), an injectant is the substance or mixture of substances injected at a particular time. Substances injected at different times are not treated as components of a single injectant even if the injections are part of a single tertiary recovery process.

(1) With respect to which the taxpayer has made an election under section 263(c) or

(2) With respect to which a deduction is allowed or allowable under any other provision of chapter 1 of the Code.

Example 1. B, a calendar year taxpayer why uses the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting, uses an approved tertiary recovery method for the enhanced recovery of crude oil from one of B's oil properties. During 1980, B pays $100x for a tertiary injectant which contains 1,000y units of hydrocarbon; if separated from the other components of the injectant before injection, the hydrocarbons would have a fair market value of $80x. B uses this injectant during the recovery effort during 1981. B has not made any election under section 263(c) with respect to the expenditures for the injectant, and no section of chapter 1 of the Code other than section 193 allows a deduction for the expenditure. B is unable to demonstrate that the value of the injected hydrocarbons recovered during production will be less than $80x. B's deduction under section 193 is limited to the excess of the cost for the injectant over the fair market value of the hydrocarbon component expected to be recovered ($100x--$80x=$20x). B may claim the deduction only for 1981, the year of the injection.

Example 2. Assume the same facts as in example (1) except that through engineering studies B has shown that 700y units or 70 percent of the hydrocarbon injected is nonrecoverable. The recoverable hydrocarbons have a fair market value of $24x (30 percent of $80x). The recoverable hydrocarbon portion of the injectant is 24 percent of the cost of the injectant ($24x divided by $100x). The injectant does not contain a significant amount of recoverable hydrocarbons. B may claim a deduction for $100x, the entire cost of the injectant.

Example 3. Assume the same facts as in example (1) except that through laboratory studies B has shown that because of chemical changes in the course of production the injected hydrocarbons that are recovered will have a fair market value of only $40x. B may claim a deduction for $60x, the excess of the cost of the injectant ($100x) over the fair market value of the recoverable hydrocarbons ($40x).

Example 4. B prepares an injectant from crude oil and certain non-hydrocarbon materials purchased by B. The total cost of the injectant to B is $100x, of which $24x is attributable to the crude oil. The fair market value of the crude oil used in the injectant is $27x. B is unable to demonstrate that the value of the crude oil from the injectant that will be recovered is less than $27x. The injectant contains more than an insignificant amount of recoverable hydrocarbons because the value of the recoverable crude oil ($27x) exceeds $25x (25 percent of $100x, the cost of the injectant). Because the cost to B of the hydrocarbon component of the injectant ($24x) is less than the fair market value of the hydrocarbon component in the form in which it is recovered ($27x), the cost rather than the value is taken into account in the adjustment required under paragraph (c)(1) of this section. B's deduction under section 193 is limited to the excess of the cost of the injectant over the cost of the hydrocarbon component ($100x--$24x=$76x).