Provision for Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

PRROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

Note 7 – PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES

In 2024 and 2023, the effective tax rate differed from the statutory rate, primarily as a result of allowable depletion for tax purposes in excess of the cost basis in oil and natural gas properties.

Excess federal percentage depletion, which is limited to certain production volumes and by certain income levels, reduces estimated taxable income projected for any year. The federal excess percentage depletion estimates will be updated throughout the year until finalized with the detail well-by-well calculations at year-end. When a provision for income taxes is recorded, federal excess percentage depletion benefits decrease the effective tax rate. When a benefit for income taxes is recorded, federal excess percentage depletion benefits increase the effective tax rate. The benefit of federal excess percentage depletion is not directly related to the amount of pre-tax income recorded in a period. Accordingly, in periods where a recorded pre-tax income is relatively small, the proportional effect of these items on the effective tax rate may be significant.