The signal and background for the search of the Standard Model Higgs boson in the intermediate mass range 80 GeV < m{sub H} < 2M{sub Z} is studied based on calculations of the cross sections in next-to-leading order QCD perturbation theory for the production of the Higgs boson via gluon-gluon fusion and for the hadronic two-photon production. The method of Monte-Carlo integration allows the application of realistic cuts (p{sub T}, rapidity, photon isolation) to the cross section. Results are given for the K-factors of the signal and the background. It turns out that the NLO corrections improve the situation for a Higgs boson mass in the range of 80--120 GeV. Furthermore, the influence of a cut on the transverse momentum of the additional jet produced in the processes gg {yields} Hg, gq {yields} Hq, q{bar q} {yields} Hg is compared to a similar cut for the background.

This Quarterly Report highlights activities undertaken during the second quarter of calendar year 1993, including: inventory of petroleum products stored in the Reserve, under contract and in transit at the end of the calendar quarter; fill rate for the current quarter and projected fill rate for the next calendar quarter; average price of the petroleum products acquired during the calendar quarter; current and projected storage capacity and plans to accelerate the acquisition or construction of such capacity; analysis of existing or anticipated problems with the acquisition and storage of petroleum products, and future expansion of storage capacity; funds obligated by the Secretary from the SPR Petroleum Account and the Strategic Petroleum Reserve Account during the prior calendar quarter and in total; and major environmental actions completed, in progress, or anticipated.