The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUEDSAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1888. NEW ZEALAND OIL SPRINGS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1772, 21 February 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUEDSAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1888. NEW ZEALAND OIL SPRINGS.

Though as yet we have not developed oil wells rivalling those of Pennsylvania, there is yet reason to hope that the oil springs of Poverty Bay will ere long develop into an important industry. Mr Henry Gordon, the Inspecting Engineer of the Mines Department, has recently been paying a visit to the oil bearing region and has forwarded a report to the Minister which is published m a recent issue of the " New Zealand Times," and which contains some interesting information. From this we learn that :— " The belt of country which shows indications of oil extends from Horoera Point, near the East Gape, to the Okahuati Block, about 800 miles m a westerly direction from Gisborne. The firßt workings where oil was discovered were on top of a flat rangfl between the Waingaroinui Creek and the Waipawa River, about 1450 ft above sea level. Several excavations were made m this locality, the whole of which are full of water with a thick scam of oil on the top, and a large supply of carburetted hydrogen bubbling up through the water and oil. ne of the party who accompanied Mr Gordon m his expedition set fire to one of these pools, and it burned fiercely for a considerable time. The surface oil m the vicinity of the>e pools is intermixed m places with paraffine, which occurs m the form of brown butter." There are three Companies, testing the Bprings^tJie South Pacific, the Minerva, and the Southern Cross — tho Pouth Paoific ? which was formed m 1874, having a lease of 6000 acres and having already spent £22,000 m boring and prospecting for oil. " A stoppage to the Company's operations was caused by the gas from the bore-hole catching fire ..and burning the derrick and machinery, with the exception of the angine and boiler. New machinery ig, however, being erected, and when work is resumed tho minimum discharge anticipated is 4000 gallons per day. It is also thought when a twoinch pipe is inserted m tho bore hole, which is 4iin m diameter, that the pressure of gas will be increased to such an extent that no pumping will be required foa some time." Mr Gordon says there is greater difficulty iv working our springs than thoso m America, where it hau been found by experience that one bore drains from four to five acres . He accounts for tho difficulty by saying that where oil springs occur m America the strata are totally different, inasmuch that the strata, m place of lying nearly horizontal, are greatly tilted m New Zealand, lying at an angle of from 20deg to the horizontal to 70deg, and m some W\ww nearly Yfttfc&l. We wjwd f

boring m a great measure. Included m the report is an extensive description of the plant and machinery required, which Mr Gordon says is simple, effective, and inexpensive. The total cost of a complete plant, not including tubing for the bore hole, he says, is about £1600. "Mr Gordon is of opinion that the springs, if properly worked, should turn out a source of immense revenue to the colony. He says anyone visiting the place canuot fail to he impressed with the abundance of oil and gas m the locality, which has fully warranted the large expenditure," and adds, m conclusion, "judging from what I have seen, I think the supply. o£ oil will develop into an important industry, but it will take a few years beforo this will be fully established."