AN ACT

RELATING TO TAXATION; PROVIDING FOR THE REDUCTION OF OIL AND GAS SEVERANCE TAX AND OIL AND GAS EMERGENCY SCHOOL TAX RATES DURING CERTAIN LOW-PRICE PERIODS FOR OIL AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCED FROM STRIPPER WELL PROPERTIES; CHANGING CERTAIN PROVISIONS FOR WELL WORKOVER PROJECTS AND THE RATE OF THE OIL AND GAS SEVERANCE TAX APPLICABLE TO NATURAL GAS AND OIL PRODUCTION FROM SUCH PROJECTS; AMENDING SECTIONS OF THE NMSA 1978.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 7-29-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1959, Chapter 52, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-29-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Oil and Gas Severance Tax Act:

A. "commission", "department", "division" or "oil and gas accounting division" means the taxation and revenue department, the secretary of taxation and revenue or any employee of the department exercising authority lawfully delegated to that employee by the secretary;

B. "production unit" means a unit of property designated by the department from which products of common ownership are severed;

C. "severance" means the taking from the soil of any product in any manner whatsoever;

D. "value" means the actual price received for products at the production unit, except as otherwise provided in the Oil and Gas Severance Tax Act;

E. "product" or "products" means oil, natural gas or liquid hydrocarbon, individually or any combination thereof, or carbon dioxide;

F. "operator" means any person:

(1) engaged in the severance of products from a production unit; or

(2) owning an interest in any product at the time of severance who receives a portion or all of such product for his interest;

G. "primary recovery" means the displacement of oil and of other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from an oil well or pool as classified by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department pursuant to Paragraph (11) of Subsection B of Section 70-2-12 NMSA 1978 into the wellbore by means of the natural pressure of the oil well or pool, including but not limited to artificial lift;

H. "purchaser" means a person who is the first purchaser of a product after severance from a production unit, except as otherwise provided in the Oil and Gas Severance Tax Act;

I. "person" means any individual, estate, trust, receiver, business trust, corporation, firm, co-partnership, cooperative, joint venture, association or other group or combination acting as a unit, and the plural as well as the singular number;

J. "interest owner" means a person owning an entire or fractional interest of whatsoever kind or nature in the products at the time of severance from a production unit, or who has a right to a monetary payment that is determined by the value of such products;

K. "new production natural gas well" means a producing crude oil or natural gas well proration unit that begins its initial natural gas production on or after May 1, 1987 as determined by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department;

L. "qualified enhanced recovery project", prior to January 1, 1994, means the use or the expanded use of carbon dioxide, when approved by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department pursuant to the Enhanced Oil Recovery Act, for the displacement of oil and of other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from an oil well or pool classified by the oil conservation division pursuant to Paragraph (11) of Subsection B of Section 70-2-12 NMSA 1978;

M. "qualified enhanced recovery project", on and after January 1, 1994, means the use or the expanded use of any process approved by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department pursuant to the Enhanced Oil Recovery Act for the displacement of oil and of other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from an oil well or pool classified by the oil conservation division pursuant to Paragraph (11) of Subsection B of Section 70-2-12 NMSA 1978, other than a primary recovery process; the term includes but is not limited to the use of a pressure maintenance process, a water flooding process and immiscible, miscible, chemical, thermal or biological process or any other related process;

N. "production restoration project" means the use of any process for returning to production a natural gas or oil well that had thirty days or less of production in any period of twenty-four consecutive months beginning on or after January 1, 1993, as approved and certified by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department pursuant to the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act;

O. "well workover project" means any procedure undertaken by the operator of a natural gas or crude oil well that is intended to increase the production from the well and that has been approved and certified by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department pursuant to the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act;

P. "stripper well property" means a crude oil or natural gas producing property that is assigned a single production unit number by the department and is certified by the oil conservation division pursuant to the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act to have produced in the preceding calendar year:

(1) if a crude oil producing property, an average daily production of less than ten barrels of oil per eligible well per day;

(2) if a natural gas producing property, an average daily production of less than sixty thousand cubic feet of natural gas per eligible well per day; or

(3) if a property with wells that produce both crude oil and natural gas, an average daily production of less than ten barrels of oil per eligible well per day, as determined by converting the volume of natural gas produced by the well to barrels of oil by using a ratio of six thousand cubic feet to one barrel of oil;

Q. "average annual taxable value" means as applicable:

(1) the average of the taxable value per one thousand cubic feet, determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978, of all natural gas produced in New Mexico for the specified calendar year as determined by the department; or

(2) the average of the taxable value per barrel, determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978, of all oil produced in New Mexico for the specified calendar year as determined by the department; and

R. "tax" means the oil and gas severance tax."

Section 2. Section 7-29-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1980, Chapter 62, Section 5, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-29-4. OIL AND GAS SEVERANCE TAX IMPOSED-- COLLECTION--INTEREST OWNER'S LIABILITY TO STATE--INDIAN LIABILITY.--

A. There is imposed and shall be collected by the department a tax on all products that are severed and sold, except as provided in Subsection B of this section. The measure of the tax and the rates are:

(1) on natural gas severed and sold, except as provided in Paragraphs (4), (6) and (7) of this subsection, three and three-fourths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978;

(2) on oil and on other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead, except as provided in Paragraphs (3), (5), (8) and (9) of this subsection, three and three-fourths percent of taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978;

(3) on oil and on other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead produced from a qualified enhanced recovery project, one and seven-eighths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978, provided that the annual average price of west Texas intermediate crude oil, determined by the department by averaging the posted prices in effect on the last day of each month of the twelve-month period ending on May 31 prior to the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed, was less than twenty-eight dollars ($28.00) per barrel;

(4) on the natural gas from a well workover project that is certified by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department in its approval of the well workover project, two and forty-five hundredths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978, provided that the annual average price of west Texas intermediate crude oil, determined by the department by averaging the posted prices in effect on the last day of each month of the twelve-month period ending on May 31 prior to the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed, was less than twenty-four dollars ($24.00) per barrel;

(5) on the oil and on other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from a well workover project that is certified by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department in its approval of the well workover project, two and forty-five hundredths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978, provided that the annual average price of west Texas intermediate crude oil, determined by the department by averaging the posted prices in effect on the last day of each month of the twelve-month period ending on May 31 prior to the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed, was less than twenty-four dollars ($24.00) per barrel;

(6) on the natural gas from a stripper well property, one and seven-eighths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978, provided

the average annual taxable value of natural gas was equal to or less than one dollar fifteen cents ($1.15) per thousand cubic feet in the calendar year preceding July 1 of the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed;

(7) on the natural gas from a stripper well property, two and thirteen-sixteenths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978, provided that the average annual taxable value of natural gas was greater than one dollar fifteen cents ($1.15) per thousand cubic feet but not more than one dollar thirty-five cents ($1.35) per thousand cubic feet in the calendar year preceding July 1 of the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed;

(8) on the oil and on other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from a stripper well property, one and seven-eighths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978, provided that the average annual taxable value of oil was equal to or less than fifteen dollars ($15.00) per barrel in the calendar year preceding July 1 of the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed;

(9) on the oil and on other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from a stripper well property, two and thirteen-sixteenths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978, provided that the average annual taxable value of oil was greater than fifteen dollars ($15.00) per barrel but not more than eighteen dollars ($18.00) per barrel in the calendar year preceding July 1 of the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed; and

(10) on carbon dioxide, three and three-fourths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-29-4.1 NMSA 1978.

B. The tax imposed in Subsection A of this section shall not be imposed on:

(1) natural gas severed and sold from a production restoration project during the first ten years of production following the restoration of production, provided that the annual average price of west Texas intermediate crude oil, determined by the department by averaging the posted prices in effect on the last day of each month of the twelve-month period ending on May 31 prior to each fiscal year in which the tax exemption is to be effective, was less than twenty-four dollars ($24.00) per barrel; and

(2) oil and other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from a production restoration project during the first ten years of production following the restoration of production, provided that the annual average price of west Texas intermediate crude oil, determined by the department by averaging the posted prices in effect on the last day of each month of the twelve-month period ending on May 31 prior to each fiscal year in which the tax exemption is to be effective, was less than twenty-four dollars ($24.00) per barrel.

C. Every interest owner shall be liable for the tax to the extent of his interest in such products. Any Indian tribe, Indian pueblo or Indian shall be liable for the tax to the extent authorized or permitted by law.

D. The tax imposed by this section may be referred to as the "oil and gas severance tax"."

Section 3. Section 7-29B-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1995, Chapter 15, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-29B-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act:

A. "average annual taxable value" means the average of the taxable value per barrel, determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978, of all oil produced in New Mexico for the specified calendar year as determined by the department;

B. "average daily production" means, for any crude oil or natural gas property assigned a single production number by the department, the number derived by dividing the total volume of crude oil or natural gas production from the property reported to the division during a calendar year by the sum of the number of days each eligible well within the property produced or injected during that calendar year;

C. "department" means the taxation and revenue department;

D. "division" means the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department;

E. "eligible well" means a crude oil or natural gas well that produces or an injection well that injects and is integral to production for any period of time during the preceding calendar year;

F. "natural gas" means any combustible vapor composed chiefly of hydrocarbons occurring naturally;

G. "operator" means the person responsible for the actual physical operation of a natural gas or oil well;

H. "person" means any individual or other legal entity, including any group or combination of individuals or other legal entities acting as a unit;

I. "production restoration incentive tax exemption" means the tax exemption set forth in Subsection B of Section 7-29-4 NMSA 1978 for natural gas or oil produced from a production restoration project;

J. "production restoration project" means the use of any process for returning to production a natural gas or oil well that had thirty days or less of production in any period of twenty-four consecutive months beginning on or after January 1, 1993 as approved and certified by the division;

K. "severance" means the taking from the soil of any product in any manner whatsoever;

L. "stripper well property" means a crude oil or natural gas producing property that is assigned a single production unit number by the department and:

(1) if a crude oil producing property, produced an average daily production of less than ten barrels of oil per eligible well per day for the preceding calendar year;

(2) if a natural gas producing property, produced an average daily production of less than sixty thousand cubic feet of natural gas per eligible well per day during the preceding calendar year; or

(3) if a property with wells that produce both crude oil and natural gas, produced an average daily production of less than ten barrels of oil per eligible well per day for the preceding calendar year, as determined by converting the volume of natural gas produced by the well to barrels of oil by using a ratio of six thousand cubic feet to one barrel of oil;

M. "stripper well incentive tax rates" means the tax rates set forth in Paragraphs (6) through (9) of Subsection A of Section 7-29-4 NMSA 1978 and in Paragraphs (4) through (7) of Subsection A of Section 7-31-4 NMSA 1978 for natural gas or oil produced from a well within a stripper well property;

N. "well workover incentive tax rate" means the tax rate set forth in Paragraphs (4) and (5) of Subsection A of Section 7-29-4 NMSA 1978 on the natural gas or oil produced from a well workover project; and

O. "well workover project" means any procedure undertaken by the operator of a natural gas or oil well that is intended to increase the production from the well and that has been approved and certified by the division."

Section 4. Section 7-29B-3 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1995, Chapter 15, Section 3, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-29B-3. APPROVAL OF PRODUCTION RESTORATION PROJECTS, WELL WORKOVER PROJECTS AND STRIPPER WELL PROPERTIES.--

A. A natural gas or oil well shall be approved by the division as a production restoration project if:

(1) the operator of the well makes application to the division in accordance with the provisions of the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act and rules adopted pursuant to that act for approval of a production restoration project and the application is made within twelve months of the completion of the production restoration project; and

(2) the division records show that the well had thirty days or less of production in any period of twenty-four consecutive months beginning on or after January 1, 1993.

B. A natural gas or oil well shall be approved by the division as a well workover project if:

(2) the division determines that the procedure performed by the operator of the well is a procedure to increase the production from the well, but is not routine maintenance performed by a prudent operator to maintain the well in operation. Such procedures may include, but are not limited to:

(a) re-entry into the well to drill deeper, to sidetrack to a different location or to recomplete for production;

(b) recompletion by reperforation of a zone from which natural gas or oil has been produced or by perforation of a different zone;

(d) fracturing, acidizing or installing compression equipment; or

(e) squeezing, cementing or installing equipment necessary for removal of excessive water, brine or condensate from the well bore in order to establish, continue or increase production from the well; and

(3) the operator of the well submits to the division evidence of a positive production increase over the production rate of the well prior to the workover. The operator must submit a production curve or tabulation made up of at least twelve months' production prior to the workover and at least three months' production following the workover that reflects a positive production increase from the workover. The production curve or tabulation must be certified by the operator as that of the well on which a workover was performed.

C. A natural gas or crude oil producing property shall be approved and certified by the division as a stripper well property if the division records show that the property is assigned a single production unit number by the department and:

(1) if a crude oil producing property, produced an average daily production of less than ten barrels of oil per eligible well per day for the preceding calendar year;

(2) if a natural gas producing property, produced an average daily production of less than sixty thousand cubic feet of natural gas per eligible well per day during the preceding calendar year; or

Section 5. Section 7-29B-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1995, Chapter 15, Section 4) is amended to read:

"7-29B-4. APPLICATION PROCEDURES--CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL--RULES--ADMINISTRATION.--

A. The operator of a proposed production restoration project or well workover project shall apply to the division for approval of a production restoration project or a well workover project in the form and manner prescribed by the division and shall provide any relevant material and information the division requires for that approval.

B. Upon a determination that the project complies with the provisions of the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act and rules adopted pursuant to that act, the division shall approve the application and shall issue a certification of approval to the operator and designate the natural gas or oil well as a production restoration project or well workover project, as applicable.

C. In addition to the powers enumerated in Section 70-2-12 NMSA 1978, the division shall adopt, promulgate and enforce rules to carry out the provisions of the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act.

D. The division shall consider and approve applications for approval of a production restoration project or well workover project without holding hearings on the applications. If the division denies approval of an application pursuant to such a process, the division, upon the request of the applicant, shall set a hearing of the application before an examiner appointed by the division to conduct the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Oil and Gas Act for such hearings."

Section 6. Section 7-29B-5 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1995, Chapter 15, Section 5) is amended to read:

"7-29B-5. NOTICE TO SECRETARY OF TAXATION AND REVENUE.--The division shall notify immediately the secretary of taxation and revenue upon:

A. adoption of rules pursuant to the provisions of the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act;

B. certification of the date that production has been restored on a production restoration project;

C. certification of the date that a well workover project has been completed; and

D. certification of the stripper well properties for the fiscal year."

Section 7. Section 7-29B-6 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1995, Chapter 15, Section 6) is amended to read:

"7-29B-6. QUALIFICATION FOR PRODUCTION RESTORATION INCENTIVE TAX EXEMPTION AND WELL WORKOVER AND STRIPPER WELL PROPERTY INCENTIVE TAX RATE--SECRETARY OF TAXATION AND REVENUE APPROVAL--REFUND.--

A. The person responsible for paying the oil and gas severance tax on natural gas or oil produced from a production restoration project shall qualify to receive a ten-year production restoration incentive tax exemption upon:

(1) application to the department in the form and manner prescribed by the department for approval for the ten-year production restoration incentive tax exemption;

(2) submission of the certification of approval from the division and designation of the natural gas or oil well as a production restoration project; and

(3) submission of any other relevant material that the secretary of taxation and revenue deems necessary to administer the applicable provisions of the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act.

B. The person responsible for payment of the oil and gas severance tax on natural gas or oil produced from a well workover project shall qualify for the well workover incentive tax rate on all the natural gas or oil produced by that project upon:

(1) application to the department in the form and manner prescribed by the department for approval to apply the well workover incentive tax rate to the natural gas or oil produced from a well workover project;

(2) submission of the certification from the division of approval and designation of the natural gas or oil well as a well workover project; and

(3) any other relevant material that the department considers necessary to administer the applicable provisions of the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act.

C. The person responsible for paying the oil and gas severance tax and the oil and gas emergency school tax on natural gas and crude oil produced from a stripper well property shall qualify to receive the stripper well property incentive tax rate for the fiscal year following certification by the division in the form and manner agreed to by the division and the department designating the property as a stripper well property. The division shall certify stripper well properties for calendar year 1998 no later than June 30, 1999 and no later than June 1 of each succeeding year for the preceding calendar year.

D. The production restoration incentive tax exemption shall apply to natural gas or oil produced from a production restoration project beginning the first day of the month following the date the division certifies that production has been restored and ending the last day of the tenth year of production following that date. The well workover incentive tax rate applies to the natural gas or oil produced from a well workover project beginning the first day of the month following the date the division certifies that the well workover project has been completed. The stripper well property incentive tax rates apply to the natural gas or oil produced from a stripper well property in the twelve months beginning May 1 prior to July 1 of the fiscal year to which the certification of the property as a stripper well property applies.

E. The person responsible for payment of the oil and gas severance tax on natural gas or oil production from an approved well workover project may file a claim for credit against current tax liability or for refund in accordance with Section 7-1-26 NMSA 1978 for taxes paid in excess of the amount due using the well workover incentive tax rate. Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsection E of Section 7-1-26 NMSA 1978, any such refund granted shall be made in the form of a credit against any future oil and gas severance tax liabilities incurred by the taxpayer.

F. Well workover projects certified prior to July 1, 1999 shall be deemed to be approved and certified in accordance with the provisions of this 1999 act and natural gas or oil produced from those projects shall be eligible for the well workover incentive tax rate effective beginning July 1, 1999.

G. The secretary of taxation and revenue may adopt and promulgate rules to enforce the provisions of this section."

Section 8. Section 7-31-2 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1959, Chapter 54, Section 2, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-31-2. DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Oil and Gas Emergency School Tax Act:

A. "commission", "department" or "division" means the taxation and revenue department, the secretary of taxation and revenue or any employee of the department exercising authority lawfully delegated to that employee by the secretary;

B. "production unit" means a unit of property designated by the department from which products of common ownership are severed;

C. "severance" means the taking from the soil of any product in any manner whatsoever;

D. "value" means the actual price received from products at the production unit, except as otherwise provided in the Oil and Gas Emergency School Tax Act;

E. "product" or "products" means oil, natural gas or liquid hydrocarbon, individually or any combination thereof, or carbon dioxide;

F. "operator" means any person:

(1) engaged in the severance of products from a production unit; or

(2) owning an interest in any product at the time of severance who receives a portion or all of such product for his interest;

G. "purchaser" means a person who is the first purchaser of a product after severance from a production unit, except as otherwise provided in the Oil and Gas Emergency School Tax Act;

H. "person" means any individual, estate, trust, receiver, business trust, corporation, firm, copartnership, cooperative, joint venture, association, limited liability company or other group or combination acting as a unit, and the plural as well as the singular number;

I. "interest owner" means a person owning an entire or fractional interest of whatsoever kind or nature in the products at the time of severance from a production unit or who has a right to a monetary payment which is determined by the value of such products;

J. "stripper well property" means a crude oil or natural gas producing property that is assigned a single production unit number by the department and is certified by the oil conservation division of the energy, minerals and natural resources department pursuant to the Natural Gas and Crude Oil Production Incentive Act to have produced in the preceding calendar year:

(1) if a crude oil producing property, an average daily production of less than ten barrels of oil per eligible well per day;

(2) if a natural gas producing property, an average daily production of less than sixty thousand cubic feet of natural gas per eligible well per day; or

K. "average annual taxable value" means as applicable:

L. "tax" means the oil and gas emergency school tax."

Section 9. Section 7-31-4 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1959, Chapter 54, Section 4, as amended) is amended to read:

"7-31-4. PRIVILEGE TAX LEVIED--COLLECTED BY DEPARTMENT--RATE--INTEREST OWNER'S LIABILITY TO STATE--INDIAN LIABILITY.--

A. There is levied and shall be collected by the department a privilege tax on the business of every person severing products in this state. The measure of the tax shall be:

(1) on oil and on oil and other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead, except as provided in Paragraphs (4) and (5) of this subsection, three and fifteen hundredths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978;

(2) on carbon dioxide, three and fifteen hundredths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978;

(3) on natural gas, except as provided in Paragraphs (6) and (7) of this subsection, four percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978;

(4) on the oil and on other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from a stripper well property, one and fifty-eight hundredths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978, provided that the average annual taxable value of oil was equal to or less than fifteen dollars ($15.00) per barrel in the calendar year preceding July 1 of the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed;

(5) on the oil and on other liquid hydrocarbons removed from natural gas at or near the wellhead from a stripper well property, two and thirty-six hundredths percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978, provided that the average annual taxable value of oil was greater than fifteen dollars ($15.00) per barrel but not more than eighteen dollars ($18.00) per barrel in the calendar year preceding July 1 of the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed;

(6) on the natural gas removed from a stripper well property, two percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978, provided that the average annual taxable value of natural gas was equal to or less than one dollar fifteen cents ($1.15) per thousand cubic feet in the calendar year preceding July 1 of the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed; and

(7) on the natural gas removed from a stripper well property, three percent of the taxable value determined pursuant to Section 7-31-5 NMSA 1978, provided that the average annual taxable value of natural gas was greater than one dollar fifteen cents ($1.15) per thousand cubic feet but not more than one dollar thirty-five cents ($1.35) per thousand cubic feet in the calendar year preceding July 1 of the fiscal year in which the tax rate is to be imposed.

B. Every interest owner, for the purpose of levying this tax, is deemed to be in the business of severing products and is liable for this tax to the extent of his interest in the value of the products or to the extent of his interest as may be measured by the value of the products.

C. Any Indian tribe, Indian pueblo or Indian is liable for this tax to the extent authorized or permitted by law."