(1) There is levied, assessed and shall be collected a tax on the sale of manufacturing or processing machinery to be installed and/or used at a refinery in this state and on the performance of construction activities at or in regard to a refinery in this state. The tax is in the amount of:

(a) One and one-half percent (1-½%) on the gross proceeds of sales for manufacturing or processing machinery without any regard as to whether or not the machinery retains its identity as tangible personal property after installation; and

(b) Three and one-half percent (3-½%) of one hundred three and one-half percent (103-½%) of the total contract price or compensation paid for the performance of a construction activity.

(2) If the owner of the refinery holds a direct pay permit issued by the Department of Revenue under Section 27-65-93, the owner shall furnish the permit to the seller or person performing the construction activity unless the holder of the direct pay permit is given written instructions or written authority to do otherwise by the commissioner. After being furnished the direct pay permit, the seller or person performing the construction activity shall be relieved of the duty to collect the tax imposed under subsection (1) of this section and the owner of the refinery shall pay the tax in the manner required by rule and regulation promulgated by the commissioner. The commissioner may assign a distinctive number to the refinery and issue the distinctive number to the owner. The owner of the refinery may furnish the distinctive number to persons performing construction activities in order to allow such persons to purchase component materials and parts for use in the construction activity without the requirement of paying sales tax on the purchases.

(3) Any owner of a refinery who makes application for a distinctive number as provided for in subsection (2), shall be required to execute and file with the commissioner a good and valid bond in a surety company authorized to do business in this state, or with sufficient sureties to be approved by the commissioner, conditioned that all taxes which may accrue to the State of Mississippi under this chapter will be paid when due.

(4) As used in this section:

(a) “Refinery” means any facility that manufactures finished petroleum products from crude oil, unfinished oils, natural gas liquids, other hydrocarbons, or alcohol. The term “refinery” does not include terminals, bulk plants or other locations where finished products are blended.

(b) “Construction activity” means the performance of any activity involving and/or incidental to constructing, building, erecting, repairing, grading, excavating, drilling, exploring, testing or adding to any building, highway, street, sidewalk, bridge, culvert, sewer, irrigation or water system, drainage or dredging system, levee or levee system or any part thereof, railway, reservoir, dam, power plant, electrical system, air-conditioning system, heating system, transmission line, pipeline, tower, dock, storage tank, wharf, excavation, grading, water well, and other improvement or structure or any part thereof.

(c) “Total contract price or compensation received” means all compensation received for the performance of construction activities, including monies received for all charges related to the contract or construction activities, including, but not limited to, finance charges and late charges; however, where the total contract price of a project exceeds the sum of One Hundred Million Dollars ($100,000,000.00) that portion of the compensation received in regard to the project that is attributable to design or engineering shall not be considered part of the total contract price or compensation received for construction activities from the project.