In addition to gas and depreciation, actual car expenses include insurance, oil, repairs, tires, registration fees and taxes, parking fees and tolls.

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For many airlines, the rising price of oil has caused fuel costs to move from 30% of total expenses to the upper 40% range.

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Writing off the costs each year would substantially boost their after-tax income and increase the attractiveness of contingency-fee cases as an investment, much as tax writeoffs on drilling expenses dramatically increase the odds of financial success in the oil and gas business.

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However, news reports in Argentina and Uruguay claimed that Antonini Wilson's hotel bills and other expenses in Montevideo had been paid for by the Venezuelan oil company, PDVSA. A warrant has been issued for Wilson's arrest by an Argentine court and Prosecutor Luz Rivas Diez said she wants to have him detained so he can answer questions about the cash.

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They need to sell oil on the international market in order to fund their day-to-day operating expenses.

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Regarding essential services, oil production now exceeds two million barrels a day, and provides revenues for Iraqi salaries and other governmental expenses.

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