Reducing Assessments When the Competition Couldn’t

This large exploration and production company owns and operates significant oil and gas holdings in Louisiana.

Challenge:

  • The operator’s Louisiana assets were overvalued under state methodology, ignoring poor well economics, but local parishes were reluctant to allow the appropriate reductions.
  • The company’s previous tax consultant lacked the expertise and local relationships critical to negotiating assessment reductions for underperforming assets.

Merit Solution:

  • Through our standard tax preparation process, Merit Advisors identified wells that clearly qualified for obsolescence reductions based on cash flow.
  • Our property tax team—which maintains strong relationships with parishes throughout Louisiana—worked constructively with assessors, providing ample supporting documentation.
Oil drillers working on an oil derrick.

$3.7 Million

Assessment Reduction

Rewards of Merit

Explore our case studies to see how Merit helps energy companies unlock trapped value.

Wiping Out Tax Liabilities for Non-Op Interests

Royalties & Non-Op
Case Study

This operator engaged Merit to minimize property tax liabilities for its mineral holdings by reducing the working interest values.

Fixing a Mineral Interest Mistake to Secure Big Savings

Royalties & Non-Op
Case Study

This large operator turned to Merit after a state Tax Commission error resulted in an unfair valuation.

Reducing Inflated Assessments the Competition Overlooked

Downstream
Case Study

Unhappy with its prior tax consultant, this petrochemical facility wanted a partner who could reduce its ad valorem assessments.