Peter Howard Wertheim
OGJ Correspondent
RIO DE JANEIRO, Mar. 28 -- Venezuela's tax authority Seniat presented BP PLC Mar. 27 with a bill for $61.39 million in back taxes. The action is the latest in a string of demands for alleged taxes owed by international operators for 2001-04.
Seniat Director Jose Vielma said the demand for payment is against both BP Venezuela Holdings and its affiliate Boqueron. He said BP has 15 days in which to pay the debt or it will face fines of 25-200%.
The back taxes derive from the government's recent ruling that the tax rate should be 50% rather than 36%, according to a 2001 law.
Vielma said a Caracas tribunal recently ruled that a requested freeze in Eni SPA's operations in Venezuela was appropriate. Eni had been told to pay $46.3 million in unpaid taxes for 2001-04 but had not done so.
The ruling affects the company's subsidiary Eni Dacion, which operates Dacion oil field and had agreed to a Petroleos de Venezuela SA-led joint venture contract.
Chevron Corp. also received a bill from Venezuela's Seniat for $43.1 million. Seniat said the bill is the fifth to be levied against major oil companies operating under 32 production agreements in Venezuela.
Seniat spokesman Adolfo Gregermann said, "There is an outstanding amount due from the 22 companies whose taxes were reviewed of some $891 million."
Venezuela's tax assessor claims it only has received $54.4 million of the total $360 million demanded from the companies. Only Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Royal Dutch Shell PLC, Inemaka, West Falcon, and Samson have paid in full.
Two others, China National Petroleum Corp. and Eni, have paid nothing toward their allegedly overdue taxes.
