Continued world economic growth, particularly assuming there are no major downturns in world regions (as in Russia and SE Asia in 1998 / 1999), will lead to increased demand for Oil and gas.

With limitations on the spare production capacity available world-wide at present, increased world demand will certainly require increased development activity in both OPEC and non-OPEC countries. Thus it is expected that world investment in exploration and production facilities will rise.

The level of activity in any one country is influenced generally by the expectation on oil price, and local conditions reflecting the country's competitive position with respect to others.

Local conditions generally, the attractiveness of the oil province geologically (indicated perhaps by recent discovery rates and size of discovered fields), legislation affecting conditions and taxation on developments, and the confidence in political system and proximity to markets are all factors to be taken into account.