Offshore staff

(Venezuela)- Chevron and Total will pay the Venezuelan government some $113.48 million in back taxes for the years 2001-2004, Venezuela's national tax office announced recently.

Jose Vielma, the head of the National Integrated Service for Customs and Tax Administration, or SENIAT, said that Chevron will pay $74.88 million, a figure that includes the taxes as well as fines for the late payment. Total will pay $38.6 million.

Venezuela--the world's fifth-largest oil exporter and home to the eighth-largest known petroleum reserves—is aggressively pursuing back taxes on most of the foreign oil operators in the country. According to the government, 22 foreign oil firms that operate in the country incorrectly calculated and paid their taxes during the period 2002-2004.

Starting in mid-2005, SENIAT began demanding the payment of the purported back taxes and interest by 17 firms and 14 consortiums doing business in Venezuela.

Vielma said in late 2005 that the foreign oil companies owed approximately $3 billion dollars in taxes to the Venezuelan treasury.

04/07/2006