Unocal Corporation's Spirit Energy 76 unit said its exploration drilling successes and aggressive development program on the Gulf of Mexico shelf area in the first half of 1999 should more than offset the natural production declines for the year. "We have a long record of low drilling and operating costs on the shelf, which enables us to enjoy returns that cannot be matched by the typical shelf operator," said Roger C. Beach, Unocal chairman and CEO. Beach noted Spirit Energy's GOM shelf prospects are predominantly natural gas and deliver production quickly, making them extremely attractive in the current capital-constrained environment.