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Humble’s interest in oceanography is primarily related to offshore petroleum 
exploration and production. In addition, we have extensive tanker operations 
and are interested in operations for mining other than oil and gas from the ocean 
floor. Research and development activities associated with all these functions are 
therefore of prime interest to our company. 
Humbie is convinced that the field of oceanography includes tremendous 
potential benefits for our nation and for the betterment of all mankind. Before 
these benefits can be economically realized, however, new understanding and new 
technologies must be developed. The federal and state governments, the academic 
community, and private industry all have important and often interrelated tasks 
to perform if we are to solve the multitude of legal, political, environmental, and 
technical problems that we now face in working on and in the oceans. Whereas 
a significant beginning has been achieved, our needs for the seas’ resources may 
well outpace our ability to produce these resources economically. The term 
“economically” should be stressed. Reliance on private industry operating in the 
competitive marketplace will maximize the efficiency with which we can exploit 
the oceans’ resources and hence provide society with these resources most 
economically. 
There are decisions which must be made within the realm of the federal 
government to facilitate the development of the economic use of the sea. Of 
primary importance among these is the clarification and development of the 
applicable legal structure. Only if the legal parameters of operations on and 
below the seas’ surface are known with acceptable assurance can the nation 
and the individual corporation rely upon the economic forces of the market- 
place in making their investment decisions. 
Whereas we recognize the need for ultimate clarification and development of 
legal principles governing activities of states and individual companies in the 
exploration and exploitation of ocean space, and hence eventually for Congres- 
sional consideration of legislation or resolutions similar to S. Res. 186, it is our 
judgment that this is not the proper time for such consideration. Several factors 
and conditions precedent need to be settled so that all factors may be considered 
in formulating an intelligent, meaningful oceanography policy. 
It would seem that prior to the enactment or formulation of legal principles 
governing oceanography it would be important to develop a national policy or 
goal as to this subject. We feel the Congress should be complimented in moving 
forward to identify national objectives concerning underseas resources by the 
creation in 1966 of the National Council on Marine Resources and Engineering 
Development and the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, and Resources. 
We consider that at the present time it would be premature to move forward 
with a definitive proposal such as envisioned by S. Res. 186 prior to receiving the 
report and recommendations of the Council and Commission, which should be 
forthcoming in the near future. 
Equally important in our opinion is the fact that current knowledge is limited 
in many essential elements of oceanology. The quantity and quality of available 
resources and the physical means of gaining access to these resources must be 
resolved. The conditions for processing and marketing and the effect of the 
extractive activities upon other uses of the sea are important considerations. 
Industry requires increased knowledge of the atmospheric interface with the 
oceans’ surface, the environmental conditions within the oceans’ waters and the 
benthic interface before engineering and technological innovations can be de- 
veloped to make possible man’s utilization of the resources in and under the sea. 
Again, we believe that it is premature at this time for the nation to formulate 
a definite oceanographic policy until such time as our knowledge of the subject 
has greatly increased. It is our judgment that such a policy at this time would 
tend to hamper the research and development climate both within the federal 
structure and within industry. 
We, therefore, conclude that consideration and final judgments as to the merits 
of the policies proposed by S. Res. 186 be held in abeyance until a more definite 
understanding of the ocean and its resources are available to us and until the 
Council report is filed and can be carefully studied. As we have previously stated, 
there is a great need for clarification and development of the applicable legal 
structures. In this light may we compliment the author of the subject resolutions, 
Senator Pell, on a well considered approach to this problem. It may well be 
that after additional knowledge has been gathered and national goals established 
