Every person actually engaged in severing oil, gas, or other natural resources from the soil or water, or actually operating oil or gas property, or other property from which natural resources are severed, under contracts or agreements requiring payment direct to the owners of any royalty interest, excess royalty, or working interest, either in money or in kind, shall deduct from any amount due, or from anything due, the amount of the tax herein levied before making such payments.
La. Revenue and Taxation § 47:636