- Title: FRANCE: SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR OIL DEPOSITS UNDER THE STREETS OF PARIS.
- Date: 19th November 1986
- Summary: 1. LV & SV NIGHTSHOTS Oil exploration vehicles through Paris streets and laying down sensor. (4 SHOTS) 0.18 2. CU Driver at controls of vehicle. (4 SHOTS) 0.22 3. SV PAN & CU Sensors wired in series along pavement. (4 SHOTS) 0.46 4. LV & SV Vehicles including monitoring truck. (2 SHOTS) 0.51 5. SV & CU INTERIOR Monitoring truck with technicians looking at graph and video displays. (4 SHOTS) 1.05 6. SV PAN Exploration vehicles through streets. 1.20 InitialsBB/JS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 4th December 1986 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA1MFE3RDL090UXSEVLNW1PH27F
- Story Text: PARIS, FRANCE
For the past few weeks French oil companies Elf-Aquitaine and Total have been prospecting for oil deposits under the streets of Paris. Five giant prospecting machines move slowly through the streets at night, emitting sonic waves to determine rock formations. The work must be done at night because, apart from the huge traffic jams that would result from daytime exploration, the echoes caused by traffic would be confusing to the sensitive equipment. Where there are promising signs, temporary wells will be dug. Elf has detailed maps of the city's underground gas, water, sewerage and Metro (underground railway) networks. Elf is also considering the feasibility of an offshore-style derrick in the River Seine. The decision to explore for oil in Paris was taken in 1984 when licences were granted to Elf, Total and BP. State-owned Elf points out that the subsoil belongs to the state. Elf has a 50 per cent holding in the operation. The oil companies' hopes of success are based on finds from 1951 in Greater Paris. More than 600,000 tonnes (tons) of oil are pumped out of the ground from several small wells. The current slump in oil prices has not discouraged the oil companies. If any oil is found, the wells will not go into production for around ten years, by which time the oil companies believe the market will have improved as world shortages develop. France imports most of its oil, so any finds will be more than welcome.
<strong>Source: REUTERS - THIERRY ACKET</strong> - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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