About the OP Levy return instructions
These instructions will help you complete the Offshore Petroleum (Laminaria and Corallina Decommissioning Cost Recovery Levy) (OP Levy) return (NAT 75451, PDF 278KB).This link will download a file
The OP Levy return is used to notify the ATO of a leviable entity’s annual petroleum amount.
Include the aggregated (total) petroleum amount across all licences held by the leviable entity on this return.
You can complete the return online but the information you put in cannot be saved to your computer. Print a copy for your own records and lodge it with us.
Do not use correction fluid or tape. If you make a mistake, make your corrections electronically and print a new copy.
If you need more help, email us at OPLevy@ato.gov.au.
OP Levy return sections
Top section
The levy year begins on 1 July and ends on 30 June the following year.
Complete these fields:
- Specify the levy year to which this relates – insert the levy year the return is for.
- If this is an amendment to a previous notification, provide the amendment number – insert a number only if you are amending a return you lodged earlier. Find out how to correct a mistake.
Section A: Entity information
Section A of the OP Levy return requires details about the entity.
Questions 1 to 6 – Details about the entity
Provide the following information:
- question 1 – enter the Australian business number (ABN) of your entity.
- question 2 – enter the tax file number (TFN) of your entity (while this is optional, it allows us to correctly identify the entity lodging the return).
- question 3 – enter the legal name of your entity.
- question 4 – enter the previous legal name (if the entity's legal name has changed since it last notified the ATO, print the previous name exactly as notified).
- question 5 – enter the entity's main business address.
- question 6 – enter the entity's postal address if it is different to the main business address.
Section B: Details of petroleum production licence(s)
Section B of the return requires details about the petroleum production licences held.
Question 7 – Total petroleum amount across all licences held (units of barrel of oil equivalent (BOE))
Provide the entity's total aggregated petroleum amount in BOE rounded to 2 decimal places (rounding up if the third decimal place is 5 or more) across all licences held by the entity.
Question 8 – Have you used an ATO recognised method of BOE conversion (refer to the Offshore Petroleum Levy – best practice framework)?
If the entity has used an ATO recognised method of BOE conversion (refer to the Offshore Petroleum Levy – best practice framework for guidance), place an X in the ‘Yes’ box at question 8 and go to question 9.
Place an X in the ‘No’ box if the entity has used an alternate BOE conversion method.
You will also need to provide details of the BOE conversion method used in the text box.
Question 9 – Petroleum production licence details
Provide the following information under question 9.
Project name
Enter the name of the petroleum project.
Licence number
Enter the petroleum production licence number. Currently, the form only allows numbers to be input.
To enter non-numerical characters into this field, you need to do this manually. For example, use the 'add text' function to overwrite the PDF form field.
We are in the process of updating the form to enter non-numerical characters digitally.
Percentage of entitlement to petroleum from the project
Provide the entity’s entitlement to petroleum from the project as a percentage rounded to the nearest whole number.
Any change to the percentage of entitlement during the year?
If there has been a change to the entity’s percentage of entitlement during the year, provide details in the appropriate boxes.
If there has not been a change to the entity’s entitlement place, an X in the ‘No’ box.
If there has been a change to the entity’s entitlement, place an X in the ‘Yes’ box and provide:
- details of the change
- the entity’s entitlement to petroleum from the project before the change as a percentage rounded to the nearest whole number
- the entity’s entitlement to petroleum from the project after the change as a percentage rounded to the nearest whole number
- the date the change entity’s entitlement to the project occurred.
If the entitlement cannot be accurately described as a percentage, provide details below
If the entitlement cannot accurately be described as a percentage, provide details in the free-text field.
Petroleum amount (units of BOE)
Provide the petroleum amount in BOE rounded to 2 decimal places (rounding up if the third decimal place is 5 or more) for the production licence listed.
Question 10 – Additional petroleum production licence details
Provide information at question 10 if there is more than one production licence to list.
If there are more than 5 additional petroleum production licences to list, attach a separate sheet of paper providing details of all other petroleum production licences.
Include the following information on the separate sheet:
- a title on each page of 'Additional petroleum production licences'
- the ABN, TFN and legal name of the entity as it appears at questions 1 and 3
- the project name, petroleum production licence number, percentage of entitlement to petroleum from the project
- if there has been a change to the entity’s entitlement, place an X in the ‘Yes’ box and provide
- details of the change
- the entity’s entitlement to petroleum from the project before the change as a percentage rounded to the nearest whole number
- the entity’s entitlement to petroleum from the project after the change as a percentage rounded to the nearest whole number
- the date the change entity’s entitlement to the project occurred.
- if the entitlement cannot accurately be described as a percentage, provide details
- petroleum amount in BOE rounded to 2 decimal places (rounding up if the third decimal place is 5 or more).
Section C: Declaration
Section C of the return is the entity's declaration.
An authorised person or authorised tax agent must sign the declaration on behalf of the entity.
If you need to change the authorised contact person:
- phone us on 13 28 66 between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday
- complete a Change of registration details form (NAT 2943), available from Update your details.
If the person signing the declaration is an authorised tax agent that is a partnership or a company, the declaration must be signed by a person authorised by that partnership or company to sign on its behalf.
Question 11
At question 11 – provide all details of the authorised person including:
- the full name of the signatory
- the position held
- registered agent number (if applicable)
- the business phone number.
Read the information at ‘Before you sign this form’ and 'Privacy'. If you consent to the declaration, place an X at the appropriate declaration statement and include your signature and the date of signing at the bottom of the return.
The declaration needs to be signed in pen. Otherwise, the return cannot be recorded as lodged when we receive it.
Lodge and pay the OP Levy
When to lodge and pay the OP Levy
The OP Levy return must be lodged by 31 December following the end of the levy year for which you are lodging.
It is important that we receive the return by the due date. General interest charge will apply to any amount not paid by the due date. A penalty may also apply if you fail to lodge on time.
You can lodge on or before this date.
Payment is required 21 days after your notice of assessment has been issued.
How to lodge and pay the OP Levy
To fill in the OP Levy return, you can:
- print it, fill it in by hand and then scan it as a PDF
- download it, save it to your computer and fill it in on-screen.
Whichever method you choose, make sure you keep a copy of the return and any attachments for your own records.
Lodge the OP Levy return in one of the following ways:
- Online services for business following these steps
- Sign in to Online services for business.
- Navigate to Communication and Secure mail.
- Select 'New' to create a New message.
- Select from the 'Topic' list, View more topics.
- Select Petroleum Resource Rent Tax.
- Select General enquiries.
- Complete all fields and attach OP Levy return.
- Complete the declaration then select send.
You will receive a receipt number once you've lodged your return.
- Email the OP Levy return to OP Levy secure mailbox (email OPLevy@ato.gov.au before lodgment to setup access), or
- Mail the OP Levy return to
Australian Taxation Office
PO Box 3130
PENRITH NSW 2740
If you can't lodge and pay the OP Levy on time
If you need extra time to lodge or pay, email us at OPLevy@ato.gov.au to check whether alternative arrangements can be made. In some circumstances, we may give you more time to lodge and pay.
Correcting mistakes in an OP Levy return
After lodging the entity's OP Levy return, you may discover you have made a mistake or left something out. To correct a mistake or omission, you can lodge a new OP Levy return within the given time frames.
Amendments
If you are amending a previously lodged OP Levy return, indicate the amendment number in the box provided in the top-right hand corner of the return.
Enter:
- ‘1’ for the first amendment
- ‘2’ for the second amendment and so on.
Make sure you complete the return in full, answering all questions (not just the information affected by the amendment).
For help amending an OP Levy return, email us at OPLevy@ato.gov.au.
Record keeping for the OP Levy
You need to keep a copy of the OP Levy return (and the records used to prepare it) for at least 5 years from the date of lodgment.
The records should be in writing and in English, or readily accessible and easily translatable into English.
Use these instructions to lodge the Offshore Petroleum return.