OIL OR GAS?

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 146, 15 March 1919, Page 7

OIL OR GAS?

ijK.VSATION. A'J' K.-UKOUHA. '.Plie outburst of oil ov ga» from an artesian bore fit Kaikoura on Tuesday was a sensational incidont. Tho bore hail! been driven sixty feet when, without any-warning other than that a .smell lilio that of kerosene had been noticed, .1 fierce blow-out occurred, shinglo being thrown up ovar tho derrick 30ft. hi(fh. flames lmmediately'followod, reaching almost to the toy of the derrick, which wadset on firo and practically wrecked. An effort was. made to suppress tho fire, sacking and earth being thrown over tho head of tho. pile -which had been driven. In a short, time the superimposed matter became impregnated with tho inllamnmblo exudation (oil or gas), and burnt strongly with'an increase in tho volume of flame. The earth and sacking were raked off with long iron rods, ;uul soon there was a fierce whistling noise, then a roar like : that of a locomotive thundering, along, the blast of air being in (ho nature of an "oil gusher." The flames became clarified, ajid for several i'cet above tho outlet there was an opaque vapour (hot air) with light, orange-coloured tongues of fire to i a height: of about twenty feet. The' exudation continued to burn fiercely until about sevon o'clock, when Iho workmen succeeded, with difficulty, in plugging.tho pipe. It is assumed that the ignition Was caused by a boring' vod striking a slono occasioning n> spark. Semi-expert opinions vary between petroleum gas and S mineral oil. Indications of pelroleum ; liavo been noticed in several placcs in , tho district. Air. .I'. Speight, curator of .Canterbury Museum, stated, thai Die structure of tho country east: of the Kaikouras, was favourable to llie existence Of deposits of petroleum, though it did not; nocessar- , ily follow that, petroloum was there. Illi dieations had been reported from various ■ parts of the north-eastern part of Iho island south of' (.'■ape Campbell. Ju the absence, of a personal inspection Mr. . Speight, was unable to say anything dei'ui- ! itelv regarding the oreurrcnce at Koi- . koura. It, might, be n blow-out of mar.-h . gas or it might be a leakage from a i petroleum deposit. The mailer'was'one . that could only b? settled hy investigation.,, ■. - ■