Income statistics for petroleum companies, week 53 2002

The income tax amounted to NOK 35.1 billion or 38 per cent of total assessed taxes - a decrease of NOK 2.5 billion. The special tax was NOK 56.3 billion, a decline of 4.8 billion.

Oil and gas extraction and pipeline transport

A total of 25 taxpayers were assessed by the rules in the Petroleum Tax Act for the companies involved in oil and gas extraction - two less that in 2001. Taxable ordinary income amounted to NOK 124.4 billion, almost 9 billion less than the previous year. The income liable to special tax was NOK 112.6 billion, a decrease of 9.6 billion.

It's first and foremost lower petroleum prices and a lower dollar exchange rate that lead to lower income and a reduction in the tax basis.

Foreign companies

For the foreign companies engaged in maintenance, repair and services for Norwegian extraction companies, the taxable ordinary income amounted to NOK 857 million in 2002. This was a decrease of NOK 171 million or 17 per cent compared with the previous year. Compared with the figures from 2000, this was almost a halving. The decrease is mainly caused by a decline in the operating income. There were 118 taxpayers among the foreign companies, 14 less than in 2001.

Tables:

• Table 1 Income and taxes for companies which are carrying out oil and gas extraction and transport via pipelines. 1998-2002. NOK million
• Table 2 Income and taxes from foreign shelf companies.. 1998-2002. NOK million