A. Reasonable value shall be determined in accordance with Section 3.18.6.8 NMAC when actual price is established in a transaction among affiliated persons or established at a point other than at the production unit.

(1) Example 1: P sells natural gas to a California utility. Under the contract, P is paid for natural gas delivered to the California border; P is responsible for arranging and paying for the necessary transportation to California. In this situation, value is not established for the product at the production unit.

(2) Example 2: X, the owner of a refinery, posts a price at which X will purchase oil delivered to the refinery. P, a producer, sells X oil from wells located ten miles from the refinery. P pays for transporting the oil to the refinery. In this situation, value is not established for the product at the production unit.

B. Non-affiliated persons. When actual price is established in an arm's-length transaction among non-affiliated persons, reasonable value shall be determined by subtracting, in accordance with Sections 3.18.6.9 and 3.18.6.10 NMAC, from actual price received the value added by transportation from the production unit, processing in a natural gas processing plant or both.

(1) Example: P enters into an arm's-length contract with U, an out-of-state utility, for sale of natural gas at $2.00 per mcf delivered to U. P then enters arm's-length contracts with X (a gathering system operator), Y (a natural gas processing plant operator) and Z (a mainline pipeline) to transport and process P's gas. X charges 5 cents per mcf to transport P's gas from P's production unit to Y's processing plant. Y charges 20 cents per mcf to process the gas. Z charges 25 cents per mcf to transport P's gas from Y's plant to U. P is not affiliated with U, X, Y or Z. “Actual price” at the production unit, as that term is defined in Paragraph 3.18.1.7E(1) NMAC, then, is $1.50 per mcf; this is the base upon which tax is to be paid. It shall be reported as $2 gross, with 30 cents in transportation deductions and 20 cents in processing deductions.

(2) This version of Subsection 3.18.6.8B NMAC is applicable to production occurring on or after July 15, 1998.

D. Benchmark 1: Reasonable value shall be the average actual price received, less applicable processing and transportation adjustments, provided that:

(1) at least fifty percent of sales or purchases from the same field are arm's-length transactions; and

(2) the price received or paid falls within the range of the prices received or paid for comparable products under arm's-length transactions of comparable terms.

G. In determining comparability of product under Section 3.18.6.8 NMAC, the department will consider the following factors: time of execution, duration, market or markets served, terms, quality, volume and such other factors as may be appropriate.

[5/24/91, 11/15/96; 3.18.6.8 NMAC - Rn & A, 3 NMAC 18.6.8, 12/29/00]