Example: Hypothetical depletion offset. In 1976, A purchased undeveloped property for $10,000. During 1977, A incurred $200,000 of productive well intangible drilling and development costs with respect to the property. A deducted the intangible drilling and development costs as expenses under section 263(c). Estimated reserves of 150,000 barrels of recoverable oil were discovered in 1977 and production began in 1978. In 1978, A produced and sold 30,000 barrels of oil at $8 per barrel, resulting in $240,000 of gross income. A had no other oil or gas production in 1978. A claimed a percentage depletion deduction of $52,800 (i.e., 22% of $240,000 gross income from the property). If A had capitalized the intangible drilling and development costs, assume that $200,000 of the costs would have been allocated to the depletable property and none to depreciable property. A's cost depletion deduction if the intangible drilling and development costs had been capitalized would have been $42,000 (i.e., (($200,000 intangible drilling and development costs + $10,000 acquisition costs) * 30,000 barrels of production)/ 150,000 barrels of estimated recoverable reserves). Since this amount is less than A's depletion deduction of $52,800 (percentage depletion), no reduction is made to the amount of intangible drilling and development costs ($200,000). On January 1, 1979, A sold the oil property to B for $360,000 and calculated section 1254 recapture without reference to the 65-percent-of-taxable-income limitation. A's gain on the sale is the entire $360,000, because A's basis in the property at the beginning of 1979 is zero (i.e., $10,000 cost less $52,800 depletion deduction for 1978). Since the section 1254 costs ($200,000) are less than A's gain on the sale, $200,000 is treated as ordinary income under section 1254(a). The remaining amount of A's gain ($160,000) is not subject to section 1254(a).
Example: Arrangement or plan to avoid recapture. C, an individual, owns 100% of the stock of both X Co. and Y Co. On January 1, 1998, X Co. enters into a standard oil and gas lease. X Co. immediately assigns to Y Co. 1% of the working interest for one year, and 99% of the working interest thereafter. In 1998, X Co. and Y Co. expend $300 in intangible drilling and development costs developing the tract, of which $297 are deducted by X Co. under section 263(c). On January 1, 1999, Y Co. sells its 99% share of the working interest to an unrelated person. Based on all the facts and circumstances, the arrangement between X Co. and Y Co. is part of a plan or arrangement to avoid recapture under section 1254. Therefore, Y Co. must include in its section 1254 costs the $297 of intangible drilling and development costs deducted by X Co.
26 C.F.R. §1.1254-1