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Models may be constructed and used to represent, on an aggregate level, the entire refining industry of a country (France) or of a given geographic zone. The first part of this article analyzes the aggregation problems that arise during linear programming modeling. These problems are particularly acute when the refining model has to be coupled with other models (e.g. energy models) because excessive simplifications may lead to irrelevant results. The second part of the article gives some application examples. Then the final part describes the formulation retained for representing the petroleum sector in the ‘Mini-DMS Energie’ model. This model was built under the impetus of the ‘Commissariat Général du Plan’ on the basis of the Mini DMS (Dynamique Multi-Sectoriel) macroeconomic model developed by INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques). Its aim is to analyze energy–economy interactions. In this model the refining industry is characterized by equations of the econometric type estimated on the basis of artificial sampling.

Western Europe is far from lacking in natural gas. Its gas reserves are much greater than its oil reserves with regard to their energy content, and its gas production covers nearly three-quarters of its own needs, as opposed to only one-third for crude oil.Western European gas reserves are thus an important asset in the security of its energy supplies.

This paper presents the results of a study and general thinking devoted to the development of deepwater offshore hydrocarbon potential and evaluates the technical, economic and financial constraints related to such projects. To work out development prospects in these areas requires an examination of the different technological solutions put forward and their impact on the economic aspects of these projects. The study concludes that technologies already exist which make it economically feasible to develop deepwater offshore petroleum deposits if the price of petroleum is about U S 2 0 barrel-'. Daniel Champlon is a graduate of I'Ecole Nationale Supirieure du Pitrole et des Moteurs and of I'Ecole Nationale Supirieure d'Electriciti et de Mtcanique. He joined l'lnstitute Francais du Pitrole in 1979 and is now head of the Department of Prospective Studies. Jean-Luc Gadon is a graduate in economics from the University of Paris, where he taught before joining the Department of Economics of I'lnstitut Franfais du Pttrole in 1981. Since then he has been in charge of studies related to oil supplies, offshore oil economics, the natural gas industry and energy in planned-economy countries.