26 U.S.C. § 4611 — Imposition of tax

(a) General Rule There is hereby imposed a tax at the rate specified in subsection (c) on— (1) crude oil^* received at a United States refinery^*, and (2) petroleum products entered into the United States^* for consumption, use, or warehousing.
(b) Tax on certain uses and exportation
(1) In general If— (A) any domestic crude oil^* is used in or exported from the United States, and (B) before such use or exportation, no tax was imposed on such crude oil under subsection (a), then a tax at the rate specified in subsection (c) is hereby imposed on such crude oil.
(2) Exception for use on premises^* where produced Paragraph (1) must not apply to any use of crude oil for extracting oil or natural gas on the premises where such crude oil was produced.
(c) Rate of tax
(1) In general The rate of the taxes imposed by this section is the sum of— (A) the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate, and (B) the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund^* financing rate.
(2) Rates For purposes of paragraph (1)— (A) the Hazardous Substance Superfund financing rate is 16.4 cents a barrel^*, and (B) the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate is— (i) in the case of crude oil received or petroleum products entered before January 1, 2017 , 8 cents a barrel, and (ii) in the case of crude oil received or petroleum products entered after December 31, 2016 , 9 cents a barrel.
(3) Adjustment for inflation
(A) In general In the case of a year beginning after 2023, the amount in paragraph (2)(A) must be increased by an amount equal to— (i) such amount, multiplied by (ii) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year, determined by substituting “calendar year 2022” for “calendar year 2016” in subparagraph (A)(ii) of it.
(B) Rounding If any amount as adjusted under subparagraph (A) is not a multiple of $0.01, such amount must be rounded to the next lowest multiple of $0.01.
(d) Persons liable for tax
(1) Crude oil received at refinery The tax imposed by subsection (a)(1) must be paid by the operator of the United States refinery.
(2) Imported petroleum product^* The tax imposed by subsection (a)(2) must be paid by the person entering the product for consumption, use, or warehousing.
(3) Tax on certain uses or exports The tax imposed by subsection (b) must be paid by the person using or exporting the crude oil, as the case can be. [(e) Repealed. Pub. L. 117–169, title I, § 13601(a)(1) , Aug. 16, 2022 , 136 Stat. 1981 ]
(f) Application of Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate
(1) In general Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate under subsection (c) must apply on and after April 1, 2006 , or if later, the date which is 30 days after the last day of any calendar quarter for which the Secretary^* estimates that, as of the close of that quarter, the unobligated balance in the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund is less than $2,000,000,000.
(2) Termination The Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund financing rate must not apply after December 31, 2025 .