Of that, $636 million is to be spent by NASA to begin building two unmanned scientific platforms and other research related to the Earth's environment.

Automated, unmanned platforms have also been proposed.

Conoca said: 'A leak has developed inside one well of the unmanned platform and gas is leaking up to the surface.

Current plans call for launching the first of the giant, unmanned platforms, each of which would contain a dozen complex instruments, in 1998.

They said that microgravity research, "which is of little importance in any case, is better done on unmanned platforms."

Today, the army does not have a networked central control device for various unmanned platforms and sensors within the BCT.

These installations, also known as satellite platforms, are small unmanned platforms consisting of little more than a well bay and a small process plant.

But almost all the missions proposed for the space station could be performed more effectively from unmanned platforms.

Currently, eight unmanned offshore platforms are being operated.

This results in the company operating 17 unmanned platforms dramatically lowering costs.