Mississippi Code
Article 5 - Oil Severed or Produced in State
§ 27-25-507. Escaped oil; additional collection pending claims of ownership

When any regular monthly report required from taxpayers by this article, does not disclose the actual source of any oil taxable under this article, but does show such oil to have escaped from a well or wells and to have been recovered from streams, lakes, ravines, or other natural depressions, it shall be the duty of the commissioner to collect, in addition to the privilege tax herein imposed, an additional amount equal to fourteen percent (14%) of the gross value of such escaped oil. The commissioner shall hold such additional collection in a special escrow account for a period of twelve (12) months from the date of the collection, during which time any person or persons who claim to be the rightful owner or owners of any royalty interest in the escaped oil, shall present proper and satisfactory proof of such ownership to the commissioner. If the commissioner shall be satisfied as to the ownership of such escaped oil, then he shall pay to such claimant or claimants a proportionate part of such additional collection held in escrow, according to their proper interest or interests. No payment to any claimant shall be made, however, before it is approved by the attorney general, or before it is ordered by any court having proper jurisdiction. After the lapse of twelve (12) months from the date of any additional collection, if no claim or claims have been made to it, or to the balance remaining of it after the payment by the commissioner of any claim or claims, the commissioner shall distribute the additional collection or any balance of it in the same manner as is herein provided for the distribution of the tax imposed by this article.

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