In the early 1960s, oil companies had found some crude oil in Great Britain, as well as in the Netherlands and Germany, and suspected that there was more to be found under the North Sea. Unfortunately there were some barriers that had to be overcome before it was to be possible to search for oil and gas. There had been no international agreements that addressed the rights to the various minerals and areas outside the limit. Also, the technology required was not yet developed, or had not matured enough to be commercially usable.