OIL EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION IN CROATIA

Organized exploration of "earth oil" shows started in the 16th century, and the oil production in the middle of the 20th century. The exploration area of the Republic of Croatia is divided into three basins: Pannonian, Dinarides and Adriatic. The most explored is the Panonian Basin, where most oil and gas reserves have been discovered that are continuously being produced. In the Adriatic basin gas reserves have heen discovered but because of the commercial reasons they haven't been used yet. Along with the exploration at home, the perspective areas in foreign contries are being explored more and more with the considerable oil and gas reserves discoveries. Two main products, oil and gas, generate the production of other fuels and raw materials necessary in petrochemical industry: propane, butane, industrial spirit, ethylene, propylene etc. The major part of those products is directly included into the power-supply programme of the Republic of Croatia and they supply 45% of total power needs. Good results in exploration and a high participation of domestic oil and gas in total primary energy supply, direct to the further intense investments in explorations of domestic and perspective foreign areas (the paper is published in Croatian)