The Commission of the European Community has, by means of the Directorate General for Energy, been involved in energy research aimed at improving the energy supply situation of the Community. This involvement is on two levels, firstly, the Community supports research and development aimed at improving the technologies associated with the location and production of tradi tional fuels and, secondly, the Community is actively involved in research to replace traditional energy sources with suitable alternatives. Given the parlous state of the energy supply situation in the Community, it was felt that a special effort was required to develop new technologies associated with improving the supply of traditional fuels and in develop ing and establishing alternative sources of energy. The ini tiati ve of the Community was begun in 1973 when the Council ap proved Regulation (EEC) 3056/73 setting up a series of three-year research and development programmes in the oil and gas sector. This programme was one factor in the Community's response to the supply crisis of 1973."

Introduction IX Community Energy Research and Development Strategy Programme Characteristics ImpLementation and Supervision Structure Status of Implementation Diffusion of Knowledge and Results Information for Future Proponents Breakdown of Support by Sector Breakdown of Projects by Sector Geophysics and Prospecting DrilLing 57 Production Systems 79 Secondary and Enhanced Recovery 183 Environmental Influence on Offshore 245 Auxiliary Ships and Submersibles 253 Pipelines 271 Transport 289 Natural Gas Technology 313 Energy Sources 323 Storage 333 MisceLlaneous 343 v PREFACE The 1973 oil crisis highLighted the dependency of the Community on imported hydrocarbons to satisfy its energy demand. Therefore, in order to improve security of suppLy the Community has deveLoped since 1973 a programme assisting the oiL industry to develop new technoLogies required for expLoiting oiL and gas resources outside and inside the Community territories. This programme (ReguLations 3056/73 and 3639/85) has aLLowed remarkabLe achievements in a sector where innovation is needed to take up the chaLLenge of producing oiL and gas in difficuLt environments. This report shows the achievements of the Community programme. It gives evidence of the high technicaL LeveL which has aLready been attained by the companies in the oiL and gas sector with the support of the Community.