In 1967 oil production in western Europe remained at the same level as in 1966. Natural gas production increased nearly 30% as pipelines were completed to connect the large gas reserves of the northern Netherlands and Germany with consumption centers. In the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea recoverable gas reserves were estimated at 25 Tcf, and the West Sole gas field went on production in March. The most important exploration developments of 1967 were in the North Sea. Wells were drilled in the previously untested northern part of the British offshore area including 2 off northern Scotland, but all were unsuccessful. There were 2 Permian gas discoveries, evidently of small size, in the southern part of the British area. Major extensions were made to the Leman, Hewe t, and Indefatigable fields, and a pipeline was completed from Leman to a shore terminal. Seven wells were active in the Norwegian part of the sea. In the Danish North Sea a follow-up to the initial offshore well drilled in 1966 tested oil and gas. Following completion of another deep well in German waters operations were suspended in that area. The Netherlands, the last of the North Sea countries to enact petroleum legislation, put into effect its Continental Shelf Mining Act, and multiple filings were made by many companies, but no licenses were awarded in 1967. In Austria there were 4 oil and 1 gas discoveries in the Vienna and Molasse basins, and a depth record of 19,714 ft in the pre-Tertiary was made by 1 well, which had indications of commercial production. In France exploration a tivity focused on the Pyrenean border zone. Exploratory wells were unsuccessful, but there were significant extensions to the Meillon gas field. Offshore drilling continued west of the Aquitaine basin in the Bay of Biscay. Two Triassic oil discoveries were made in the Paris basin, but productivity of the wells was low. In Germany fewer and deeper exploratory wells were drilled than in previous years. The chief objective was gas in the Triassic, Permian, and upper Carboniferous of northwest Germany. Seven new-field wildcats were successful and there were 7 new-pool discoveries. An oil discovery at 14,500 ft in the deep part of the Molasse basin of southern Bavaria was the deepest production in Germany. In Italy a new hydrocarbon law was enacted setting forth conditions for exploration of he offshore areas. An important new-field gas discovery was made in the extension of the Po Valley basin into the Adriatic and another well in the sea off mid-peninsular Italy was also a gas discovery. There was little activity in the Netherlands pending the award of exclusive drilling permits, which were granted late in 1967. In the United Kingdom old mining licenses expired and new rights were issued. In Spain exploratory drilling continued at about the same level as in 1966 but without commercial success. Portugal enacted an offshore petroleum law. In Yugoslavia a well on an island in the Adriatic Sea found oil with a high sulfur content. In the Soviet Union production of oil increased to 5,523,000 b/d and of gas to 15,380 MMcf/d. The Central Asia-Central Russia 40-in. pipeline was co pleted to the Moscow area in October, and the large oil fields of the central part of the West Siberian basin were connected by a pipeline to Omsk. A large gas field, Messo-Yakha, was found in the Arctic part of the West Siberian basin. Important gas and oil discoveries were reported in the West Siberian basin and in Central Asia. A new depth record for Eurasia was made by the Aral Sor well north of the Caspian Sea, which drilled to 20,848 ft. In Hungary the Tapo-Algyo oil and gas area south of Budapest developed into the largest in the country. In Poland a gas discovery was made in Lower Silesia, a region not previously productive.