FORUM PROCESS

The Forum maintains a partnership format and consensus driven decision-making. No single member dominates or dictates decisions. For example, agendas for meetings circulate among both governments and industry members until all parties accept a final version. Meetings are scheduled after all parties agree to convene. On the U.S.-side, industry participants have a general understanding not to advocate specific company positions within the Forum. Presentation materials, for example, are circulated amongst members in advance of meetings, providing opportunity to comment and suggest changes.

U.S. industry participation in the Forum includes a range of companies, from ExxonMobil and Chevron to ConocoPhillips, Unocal and Burlington to industry-related service companies such as McDermott.

Implementation of the Forum on the U.S. side is led by the Department of Energy -- in conjunction with the Department of Commerce, and China's effort is coordinated by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), (known formerly as the State Development and Reform Commission SDRC, and the State Development Planning Commission or SDPC), as specified in the initiating agreement on cooperation signed by Secretary of Energy Pena and Minister Zeng Peiyan.