Plains Petroleum Company and Subsidiaries - Page 32




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          predecessors, (2) the application of sections 382 and 269 to                
          petitioner's acquisition of Tri-Power, and (3) the tax                      
          consequences of Tri-Power's recapitalization.                               
               By letter dated November 17, 1986, Arthur Andersen issued              
          its opinion concerning the issues earlier identified for                    
          resolution in the October 22, 1986, letter.  In rendering its               
          opinion, Arthur Andersen obtained the opinion of Chamberlain,               
          Hrdlicka, White, Johnson & Williams (Chamberlain), Tri-Power's              
          counsel, on certain issues.  On the basis of its review of                  
          Chamberlain's opinion and petitioner's representations,22 Arthur            
          Andersen issued a favorable opinion relating to the acquisition             
          of Tri-Power, its prior activities, and the future use of its               
          NOL's.23                                                                    
               During the weeks leading up to the acquisition, petitioner's           
          management had regular discussions with Arthur Andersen                     
          concerning its investigation of Tri-Power and its NOL's.                    
          Finally, sometime prior to the November 1986 acquisition of Tri-            


          22   Petitioner represented to Arthur Andersen that its principal           
          purposes for acquiring Tri-Power were to diversify geographically           
          its oil and gas operations, enter a new market area, create a               
          holding company structure, and acquire oil and gas reserves and             
          leases at an attractive price.                                              
          23   Accompanying that opinion was a copy of the Chamberlain                
          opinion, concerning the tax consequences of various acquisitions            
          and reorganizations of Tri-Power's predecessors, reviewed by                
          Arthur Andersen; and three internal memoranda concerning the                
          remaining issues addressed by Arthur Andersen.                              





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