英國政府正在考慮設定暴利稅的價格下限，以確保挪威Equinor的羅斯班克石油和天然氣項目的穩定性

英國的暴利稅引起了Equinor的擔憂，因為與挪威更高的稅收但更可預測的投資環境相比，它缺乏穩定性

如果Equinor退出羅斯班克油氣項目，這將對英國的能源安全和英國政府提高國內能源產量的目標造成打擊

據油價網2023年3月15日報道，倫敦《金融城早報》近日了解到，由于擔心挪威能源巨頭Equinor可能退出擬議中的羅斯班克石油和天然氣項目，英國政府正在考慮為暴利稅設定一個價格下限。

這家挪威能源巨頭擔心，與其國內市場相比，英國的稅收制度缺乏穩定性。雖然挪威的稅收更高，但挪威有既定的投資津貼以及一個更平靜的政治氣氛。

羅斯班克是一個油氣田，距離設得蘭群島海岸130公里，挪威Equinor擁有這個油氣田80%的股權，其余20%的股權由英國伊薩卡能源公司持有。

羅斯班克油氣田占地面積幾乎是有爭議的坎博油田的三倍，并可能是英國5億桶石油和天然氣產量的來源。

這個開發項目目前正在等待最終投資決定——預計將在今年晚些時候做出——盡管征收暴利稅，但人們普遍預計這個項目將獲得批準，因為石油和天然氣勘探是英國能源安全戰略的一個關鍵特征。

根據新的價格下限建議，當石油和天然氣價格回到“正常水平”時，暴利稅將被取消。

然而，暴利稅最低價格的“正常水平”尚未達成一致。

英國政府還在考慮擴大投資減免范圍的計劃，包括碳捕獲和儲存，前提是在現有的油氣田上進行標記，以減少排放。

目前尚不清楚英國財政大臣是否會通過這些新提議，但他可能會在今年晚些時候的財政活動中宣布這一消息。

Equinor拒絕對這一猜測置評，但對倫敦《金融城早報》表示，它渴望建立一個穩定的投資環境。

一位發言人在暗示暴利稅時說：“一般來說，可預測的框架條件對一個具有長期視野的行業很重要。突然而令人驚訝的稅收變化將影響我們未來關于投資的討論。”

英國行業機構海上能源公司的一位發言人說：“我們注意到了媒體的有關報道，并等待預算的全部細節，包括英國政府將如何繼續支持消費者。”

發言人說，我們繼續在給財政部的信中提出我們的要求，為成功的英國能源戰略提供理由，該戰略吸引了整個能源領域所需的私人投資，以保持符合政府凈零戰略的國產能源的安全供應。

英國政府拒絕對英國海上能源公司發言人的講話內容發表評論。

自去年5月份首次推出暴利稅以來，英國政府一直面臨減輕該稅的壓力，因為人們擔心該稅可能導致投資外流。

相反，英國財政大臣將暴利稅從25%提高到35%，而去年11月份的特別公司稅稅率為40%。

英國政府優先考慮利用利潤來緩解創紀錄的能源賬單，而不是對該行業長期生存能力的擔憂。

然而，最近投資環境的發展，如今年石油和天然氣價格下跌，以及來自海外的挑戰，似乎使英國政府面臨壓力。

特別是，英國能源行業正面臨來自美國《通脹削減法案》的越來越大的壓力，美國《通脹削減法案》承諾向可再生能源行業提供價值3680億美元的減稅和補貼。

這包括對北海至關重要的行業，如碳捕獲、氫氣和海上風能。

如果羅斯班克石油和天然氣項目不實施，這將對英國的油氣行業造成巨大打擊，并將破壞英國政府提高國內能源產量的目標。

目前，英國國內一半以上的石油和天然氣消耗量是在國際上采購的，挪威是英國最大的天然氣出口伙伴。

英國海上能源公司警告稱，除非開發出新的油氣項目，否則到2030年底前，英國油氣產量水平可能降至不足四分之一。

已經有跡象表明，人們對北海的發展越來越猶豫，海港能源公司宣布了向國際市場多元化的計劃，同時退出了最新一輪的石油和天然氣許可證出售招標。

今年早些時候，在英國上調暴利稅后，法國道達爾能源公司放棄了在北海一個價值1億英鎊的項目，而英國殼牌公司透露，它將不得不“逐案”評估這些計劃。

李峻 編譯自 油價網

原文如下：

UK Considers Easing Windfall Tax Pressure On Oil And Gas

·     The UK government is considering a price floor for the windfall tax in order to ensure stability for Equinor's Rosebank oil and gas project.

·     The windfall tax has caused concerns for Equinor, as it lacks stability compared to Norway's higher taxed but more predictable investment climate.

·     If Equinor pulls out of the Rosebank project, it would be a blow to the UK's energy security and the government's goals to ramp up domestic energy production.

The government is weighing up plans to bring in a price floor for the windfall tax amid fears Equinor could pull out of the proposed Rosebank oil and gas project, City A.M. understands.

The Norwegian energy giant is concerned about the lack of stability in the tax regime compared to its home market, which has higher taxes but an established investment allowance and a calmer political climate.

Rosebank is an oil and gas field 130km off the coast of the Shetland Isles, and is 80 per cent owned by Equinor – with the remaining 20 per cent owned by Ithaca Energy.

It is nearly three times the size of the controversial Cambo field, and is potentially the source of 500m barrels of oil and gas.

The development is currently awaiting a final investment decision – expected later this year – and is widely anticipated to be greenlit despite the windfall tax, with oil and gas exploration a key feature of the UK’s energy security strategy.

Under the new price floor proposals, first reported by Politics Home, the windfall tax will be switched off when oil and gas prices return to ‘normal levels’.

However, what constitutes ‘normal levels’ for the price floor in the Energy Profits Levy has not yet been agreed.

The government is also considering plans to expand the scope of the investment relief – set at 91p in the pound – to include carbon capture and storage if tagged onto existing oil and gas fields to reduce emissions.

It is unclear whether Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will go through with the new proposals, but an announcement could be made at the budget tomorrow or later in the year at a future fiscal event.

Equinor refused to comment on the speculation, but told City A.M. it was keen for a stable investment climate to be established.

Hinting at the windfall tax, a spokesperson said: “In general, predictable framework conditions are important for an industry with a long-term horizon. Sudden and surprising changes in taxes will affect our discussions on investments going forward.”

A spokesperson for industry body Offshore Energies said: “We’re aware of media reports and await the full details in the Budget tomorrow, including how UK government will continue to support consumers.

We continue to put forward our asks outlined in letters to the Treasury, making the case for a successful UK energy strategy which attracts the private investment needed across the entire energy landscape to maintain secure supplies of home-produced energy in line with the government’s net zero strategy.”

The government declined to comment.

Downing Street has been under pressure to ease the levy amid fears it could lead to an exodus of investment since it was first introduced last May.

Instead, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt hiked the windfall tax from 25 to 35 per cent, on top of the 40 per cent special corporation tax rate last November.

The government has prioritised harnessing profits to ease record energy bills ahead of fears over the industry’s long-term viability.

Yet, recent developments in the investment climate such as falling oil and gas prices this year alongside challenges from overseas have appeared to put the government’s under strain.

In particular, the UK’s energy sector is under increasing pressure from the US Inflation Reduction Act – which commits $368bn worth of tax cuts and subsidies to the renewable energy sector.

This includes industries vital to the North Sea like carbon capture, hydrogen and offshore wind.

If Rosebank did not go ahead, this would be a huge blow to the UK’s oil and gas sector, and would undermine the government’s goals to ramp up domestic energy production.

As it stands, over half the UK’s oil and gas is sourced internationally, with Norway its largest export partner.

OEUK has warned that production levels could fall to barely a quarter by the end of the decade unless new projects are developed.

There are already signs of increased hesitancy towards developments in the North Sea, with Harbour Energy announcing plans to diversify to international markets while also pulling out of the latest oil and gas licensing round.

Total Energies opted against a ￡100m project in the North Sea earlier this year after the windfall tax was toughened, while Shell has revealed it will have to assess plans on a “case by case” basis.