Manufacturing process
(3) Manufacturing process. A manufacturing process is a process involving the manufacture of one or more products, other than carbon oxide, that are intended to be sold at a profit, or are used for a commercial purpose (other than producing carbon oxide). All facts and circumstances with respect to the process and products are to be taken into account. (4) Examples. The following examples illustrate the rules of paragraph (d) of this section: (i) Example 1. A natural underground reservoir contains a gas that is comprised of 50 percent carbon dioxide and 50 percent methane by volume. The raw gas is not usable without the application of a separation process to create two gases that are primarily carbon dioxide and methane. Taxpayer B constructs processing equipment that separates the raw gas into carbon oxide and methane. The carbon dioxide is sold to a third party for use in a qualified enhanced oil recovery project. Some of the methane is used as fuel to power the processing equipment. The remainder of the methane is injected into the reservoir. The injection will increase the ultimate recovery of carbon dioxide. The injected methane can be produced later from the reservoir. At the end of the taxable year Taxpayer B has not secured a contract to sell methane and does not have any plans to use the methane for a commercial purpose other than producing carbon oxide. Because carbon dioxide is the only product manufactured that is intended to be sold at a profit or used for a commercial purpose, the separation process applied to the gases is not a manufacturing process within the meaning of paragraph (d)(3) of this section. The carbon dioxide captured by the process is not qualified carbon oxide. (ii) Example 2. (A) A natural underground reservoir contains a gas that is comprised of 95 percent carbon dioxide and 5 percent helium by volume. The raw gas is not usable without the application of a separation process to create two gases that are primarily carbon dioxide and helium. Taxpayer C determines that the extraction of helium is economically viable even if there were no commercial market for carbon dioxide or any section 45Q credit. An independent registered engineer attests to Taxpayer C's determination. Taxpayer C constructs processing equipment that separates the raw gas into carbon dioxide and helium. The helium is sold to various customers for use in commercial and industrial applications. The carbon dioxide is sold to a third party for use in a qualified enhanced oil recovery project. Any carbon dioxide which the third party cannot accept is returned to the reservoir or vented in accordance with applicable permits. (B) Because the extraction of helium is economically viable even if there were no commercial market for carbon dioxide or any section 45Q credit, the reservoir will not be considered a natural carbon dioxide-bearing formation or a naturally occurring subsurface spring within the meaning of paragraph (d)(1) and the separation process applied to the gases is a manufacturing process within the meaning of paragraph (d)(3). Taxpayer C may claim the section 45Q credit with respect to the carbon dioxide sold to the third party and which the third party uses in ad oil recovery project during the taxable year. Taxpayer C may not claim the section 45Q credit with respect to the carbon dioxide that is returned to the reservoir or vented.