1999 Question Answering Competition: a Sample Question

Which of the following Reuters news service texts answers the question,
When must oil companies submit bids for the latest Ecuadoran exploration area?

TEXT

CHARS

TITLE

1046.txt

432

Buys Wells, Drilling Rigs

10646.txt

697

Reports Increase In Reserves

10681.txt

718

U.S. Credits For Ecuador Switched To Veg Oil

11776.txt

647

To Acquire Interest In Gas Filed

12364.txt

450

In Big Peru Heavy Oil Find

13090.txt

936

Launches Platform Off California

13372.txt

547

To Accrue Intangible Costs

13765.txt

396

Puts Loans On Nonaccrual

14641.txt

706

Plan Offshore Platform

14793.txt

512

Unit To Expand Drilling

15183.txt

757

Conoco Finds Oil Offshore Congo

1529.txt

769

4th Qtr Loss

1540.txt t

562

Sterling In Texas Gas And Oil Discovery

15536.txt

683

Has Stake In Norway Oil Find

1586.txt

691

In Drilling Pact

16410.txt

671

Di Industries Florida Unit Gets Water Contract

16503.txt

960

Premiers, Governors Push East Coast Development

16521.txt

690

Ecuador Accepts Exploration Bids

17909.txt

660

Imf Approves 48 Mln Dlr Loan To Assist Ecuador

18438.txt

911

Outer Continental Shelf Sale Postponed

18447.txt

504

Ecuador's Cepe Names New Head

18463.txt

752

Ecuador Posts 71.3 Mln Dlr 8-Mth Trade Deficit

18652.txt

1075

Venezuela Backs Increase In Ecuador Opec Quota

18769.txt

719

Statoil Awards Veslefrikk Oil Field Contracts

18871.txt

340

Buys Ecuadorian Plant

2319.txt

748

South African Firm To Continue Tests

2321.txt

722

Greece Repeats It Can Decide On Aegean Drilling

2359.txt

628

Ecuador's Consumer Prices Rise 2.5 Pct In February

2549.txt

745

Colombian Oil Exports Not Affected By Quake

2557.txt

4385

Crude Oil Prices Up As Stocks, Output Fall

2771.txt

463

Amoco Reports South China Sea Oil Find

2782.txt

550

Api Reports Sharp Fall In Drillings

3119.txt

838

Ecuador Quake Causes 950 Mln Dlrs In Losses

3231.txt

719

Oil Firms Cut 1987 Indonesian Exploration Spending

3329.txt

744

Ecuador Official Seeks Oil Aid In Venezuela

3729.txt

783

Ecuador Debt To Be Honoured After Quake Survival

4012.txt

746

To Restructure Exploration Unit

4230.txt

643

Proven Reserves Fall

4240.txt

673

India Gets 140 Mln Dlr World Bank Loan

4244.txt

669

India Gets 140 Mln Dlr World Bank Loan

4295.txt

802

Sandvik, Diamant Boart In Accord On Joint Venture

6039.txt

860

Camco Signs Letter Of Intent For Reed Tool

6499.txt

887

Canadian Roxy In New Alberta Oil Discovery

6818.txt

658

Opec Fund Approves 100,000 Dlr Aid For Ecuador

7432.txt

1877

Santos Bids For Oil And Gas Company Tmoc Resources

7756.txt

707

Ecuador Names New Industry And Trade Minister

8732.txt

691

Ecuador Negotiates With Nigeria For Lending Oil

8784.txt

850

Six Reported Wounded In Ecuador General Strike

8839.txt

525

Ecuador Signs 280 Mln Dlr Iadb Loan

9626.txt

873

Finds Natural Gas