Gabon orders Total to pay $805 million in taxes

Libreville, Gabon – Gabon’s government has told French oil major Total’s local subsidiary to pay $805 million in taxes it owes for 2008 to 2010, in a case watched closely by potential new investors in the central African country’s energy sector. Total Gabon said it would challenge the tax demand, which follows a state audit of the former OPEC member’s petroleum industry that began in 2010. The company said it “considers this tax adjustment unfounded” and was confident that discussions with the government would have …