Mineral and Petroleum Taxation module (CP52009)

Mineral and petroleum taxation involves the fiscal policies and regulations that govern the extraction of natural resources like oil, gas, and minerals. Governments impose taxes on companies extracting these resources to ensure a fair share of the profits is returned to the public.

This taxation can take various forms, including royalties, corporate income taxes, and resource rent taxes.

The goal is to balance attracting investment with maximising public revenue. Effective taxation policies are crucial for managing natural resource wealth, promoting economic stability, and avoiding issues like corruption and poverty.

What you will learn

In this module, you will learn about:

• principle of resource taxation
• instruments of taxation
• tax allowances
• structure of and issues in the design of fiscal regimes
• evaluating fiscal regimes for minerals and petroleum
• international issues in resource taxation
• environmental taxation

By the end of this module you will:

• have extensive and detailed understanding of tax instruments and allowances in petroleum and mineral industries
• gain a critical awareness of fiscal regimes for minerals and petroleum, including economic, environmental, social and international considerations
• have a critical understanding of the main criteria for evaluating and comparing fiscal regimes
• be able to interpret and evaluate a tax regime or tax instrument in the field of minerals and petroleum
• know how to critically review information and analyse issues relating to mineral and petroleum taxation, informed by development at the forefront of the subject

Assignments / assessment

• research paper 3,000-4,000 words (50%)
• quiz in-class (20%)
• exam (30%)

Teaching methods / timetable

• lectures
• workshops
• group presentations