INTRODUCTION A continuing concern of the petroleum industry is the protection and improvement of the environment. For this reason@ the American Petroleum Institute sponsors??in whole or in part??a substantial number of scientific research projects in the environmental area. Additionally@ the petroleum companies in the United Stales independently sponsor such research. In 1978@ API's Environmental Affairs Department budgeted $3.4 million for its environmental research program. API has sponsored such research programs for a number of years@ with some funding going to projects sponsored directly by API through its Environmental Affairs Department and some going to research and activities of the Air Pollution Research Advisory Committee (APRAC) of the Coordinating Research Council (CRC). The APRAC program??now in its eleventh year??concentrates on the study of automotive air pollution. The program is supported jointly by API and the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (MVMA). This report summarizes recently completed and ongoing API environmental research projects@ as well as those to be undertaken in 1978. Extra copies of this report are available from Publication Services@ American Petroleum Institute@ 2101 L Street@ NW@ Washington@ DC 20037. Additional information on any of the research projects described in this report can be obtained from the Environmental Affairs Department@ at the same address. APRAC projects@ both completed and on-going@ are reported in the current APRAC Annual Status Report@ which can be obtained from the Coordinating Research Council@ 30 Rockefeller Plaza@ New York@ NY 10020.