Note 16 - Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Income Tax Disclosure [Text Block]

16. INCOME TAXES

VAALCO and its domestic subsidiaries file a consolidated U.S. income tax return. Certain foreign subsidiaries also file tax returns in their respective local jurisdictions that include Canada, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Income taxes attributable to continuing operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and 2022 are attributable to foreign taxes payable in Gabon and Egypt, as well as income taxes in the U.S.

Provision for income taxes related to income from continuing operations consists of the following:

	Three Months Ended June 30,					Six Months Ended June 30,
	2023			2022		2023		2022
U.S. Federal:	(in thousands)
Current	$	—		$	—	$	—	$	—
Deferred		871			2,617		1,457		(9,869	)
Foreign:
Current		12,401			20,402		24,701		26,093
Deferred		(1,684	)		23,233		201		25,400
Total	$	11,588		$	46,252	$	26,359	$	41,624

The Company’s effective tax rate for the three and six months ended  June 30, 2023, excluding the impact of discrete items, was 68.42% and 63.32%. For the three and six months ended June 30, 2022, the effective tax rates were 73.37% and 72.59%. The total tax expense for the three months ended June 30, 2023, includes a discrete amount of ($0.5) million primarily related to adjustments made because of changes to oil price (the change in value of the government of Gabon’s allocation of Profit Oil between the time it was produced and the time it was taken in-kind, i.e., oil price adjustment). For the six months ended June 30, 2023, the current tax expense of $24.7  million includes a $2.7 million unfavorable oil price adjustment. After excluding that impact, current income taxes were an expense of $22.0 million for the period. For the three months ended June 30, 2022, the current tax expense of $20.4 million includes a $1.2 million unfavorable oil price adjustment. After excluding this impact, current income taxes were $19.2 million for the period. For the six months ended June 30, 2022, the Company’s overall effective tax rate was appreciably impacted by non-deductible items associated with operations (which includes losses on derivative instruments) and the release of valuation allowance attributable to the current period. The total tax expense for the six months ended June 30, 2022 includes a discrete adjustment for the release of an additional $12.7 million of valuation allowance as a result of an increase in forecasted future earnings. For the six months ended June 30, 2022, the current tax expense of $26.1 million includes a $4.3 million unfavorable oil price adjustment. After excluding the impact, current income taxes were $21.8 million for the period.

As of June 30, 2023, the Company had no material uncertain tax positions. The Company’s policy is to recognize potential interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.