Oil-Well For Testing In Taranaki

Press, Volume C, Issue 29503, 3 May 1961, Page 7

Oil-Well For Testing In Taranaki

(Naw Zealand Press Association) ' '■ ■ I ■

NEW PLYMOUTH, May 2. Shell-8.P.-Todd Oil Services, Ltd., have decided to drill no deeper at the Mangahewa No. 1 well, near Tikorangi, but to prepare it for testing. This decision was contained in a company statement released by telephone interview from Wellington today. Unsuccessful efforts over the last fortnight to free a drilling bit jammed at 14,048 ft have caused the abandonment bf further drilling, the statement said. Testing of the well will involve lining it with 7in casing before examining some of the intervals close to the maximum depth, and making the main series of tests, which are expected to extend over about two months. “After the completion of tests, and the analysis of results, a final decision on the location of the next well in Taranaki will be made,” the statement said.

The company's statement . said that it had been a disappointment for drilling operations to end at the 14,048 ft E level, as the company had inr tended to drill deeper. Techt nical and economic reasons had led to the company's - directors deciding to end - drilling operations and start s testing. i The statement said that electrical logging was at prer sent being done at the well a to determine the areas to be t tested. A separator and a e flare through which any gas - encountered in testing would pass was being erected at the - site. It was expected to be - several weeks before preparaf tions to test the well were e completed.