§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy, of the total list of 45 oil discoveries tabulated in Appendix 4 of the 1977 Brown Book, what percentage of the total he considers could be developed economically (a) under the present tax regime (b) provided crude oil rose to between 15 dollars and 20 dollars a barrel.
§ Dr. Mabon(a) Nine, or 20 per cent., of the 45 discoveries listed contain reserves in the proven category—that is, those which on the available evidence are virtually certain to be recoverable under existing technical and market conditions, including the tax regime; (b) a further 20, or 45 per cent., of the 45 discoveries contain reserves in the probable category—that is, those which are estimated to have a better than 50 per cent. chance of being recoverable in foreseeable technical and market conditions, including a rise in crude oil prices.