41.   The sultanate is driving to expand its industrial base and its gas reserves to compensate for its limited oil deposits, which Shanfani pegged at five billion barrels.

42.   These have been frequent targets of the petroleum industry because of their large potential gas reserves.

43.   Truckers continued a blockade of fuel refineries, endangering the gas reserves of several cities, and tons of perishable goods began to spoil.

44.   Truckers continued a blockade of fuel refineries, endangering the gas reserves of several cities.

45.   French oil company Total has won a major contract to develop Yemeni gas reserves, the president of Total-Yemen Francois Castellani told AFP Wednesday.

46.   Gas reserves have also sharply grown and officials expect them to double in the near future.

47.   Hunt Oil claimed the right to develop the gas reserves, having discovered them when it was prospecting for oil in Yemen, the experts said.

48.   In the long run, Oman hopes to develop its gas reserves but it is in fierce competition with neighbors such as Qatar and Iran.

49.   Iran plans to slow down efforts to increase its crude oil production capacity and turn to developing its massive gas reserves as an alternative source of energy.

50.   Iran, facing a financial crisis, has been seeking foreign investment to modernise its petroleum facilities and develop its huge gas reserves, according to experts.