A VISIT TO THE FIELD.

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 62, 6 December 1919, Page 5

A VISIT TO THE FIELD.

STRIKING SERIES OF TESTS THE NATURAL GAS-A HUGE COMMERCIAL ASSET

to the Waipatiki Oil Wells, LM.'s, works at Waipatiki unconsciously instills confidence into the' minds of even the most sceptical. Boring operations are in progress, as they have been for soma considerable time past, and the staff of expert workmen in tho employ of the company all speak most enthusiastically of the venture. A number of imminent Ifanawatu business men paid a visit to tho scene of boring operations last week, ana' they were greatly impressed with the progress raado since tho present company assumed control, and, after investication, with the prospects disclosed. At Waipatiki all signs point to success. To begin with, the contour of the country is on all fours with that associated with the continental and American 'oilfield?. Then, again, green sandstone matter, which is only found in oilbearing regions, has been several times encountered recently. The directors associated with tho company pin great faith to the oninion of the eminent German geologist Professor Wanner, which was that Waipatiki was tho

BEST PLACE IN NEW ZEALAND for loehtinj; alio" tapping a large oilfield. In. fact, ho averred that if oil were not struck in this district in payable quantities a big (low was not likely to be located anywhere else in the Dominion. So confident was Professor Wanner that his prediction n'ould be fulfilled that at the instance of the huge financial interests behind his mission he went to the trouble of surveying a pipe-line from Wainatiki to the coast at Akitio, through which he claimed to pump the oil won from the field which is the subject of this article. Tho depth of the pore now stands at 3,600 ft., and (he company expects at any time now' to strike oil between that level aiid the test limit of 5.000 ft. set by Professor Wanner. Interviewee' last week, the engineer in charge of the boring operations stated that at the deof.li the.bore was now penetrating a thick.. creamy substance impregnated with oil was being met with, and thcro was absolutely no sign of water. He had every confidence that a big flow of oil would be tapped within the next few hundred feet. There was to his mind nothinir surer.

UNLIMITED QUANTITIES OF GAS. The inspecting party were surprised at the large extent of the works, which cover a. considerable area, and with the power-prooucing qualities of tho natural gas which is present in abundancy. In this connection a series of interesting tests were carried out for the enlightenment of the visitors. Deprived of all nctrol. a powerful motor-car was fed by means of a. pipe branching r "rom the main with this natural gas, and without anv further stimulant it ran to perfection and developed the maximum power of the engine. Tho car was stationary at the'time, and a photograph of this successful experiment appears on this rage.. At Palnierston North, incidentally, one of the directors ran a motor-car all round town on a quantity of Waipatiki eras after it had been subjected to a certain pressure. ' Anothor test carried out at the works was that of running a 25-30 h.p, gas-en-irino with this natural gas without any Dressuro. , Here, ■ again, tho experiment was crowned with success, tho engine running wonderfully smoothly, and developing 28-horso power. These tests orovo. conclusively that tho gas is of the netrol order, and of the kind that is naturally associated with petrol-produc-ing country. As regards the composition of this gas it is significant that it contains only 1.2 of carbon dioxide, whereas other natural gas found in New Zealand contains a very much higher

porcentago of this negative ingredient. In fact, this ip tho ONLY GAS OF ITS KIND in Now Zealand. At.New Plymouth tho natural cos is exuded only in odd bursts. Tho suddlv. there is not regular and continuous, and it has nothing liko the same nower behind it that is eo markedly noticeable in the Waipatiki gas.... And at Wainatiki enormous quantities of gas have been, located, and it has been flowing without a break for the past 80 years and more. Quite auart from its oil-producing possibilities tho Waipatiki field already possesses a great commercial asset in the shano of its natural gas supplies. The cas is canable! as has been demonstrated time and again, of performing satisfactorily overt function in the lino of light, heat, and lwwor. The power utilised for boring purposes is generated bv this gas. Tho manager's and tho workmen's cottages are all heated and lighted throughout with it. The employees do all thoir cooking by it. It costs practically nothing to produce, and is ready for wo immedatolx it Wcj

tho pound, It has to go through no rcfininir process, and is odorless and wons : derfullv economical. Without a doubt it. could be utilised for tho purpose of lightine and heating and the like in Dannovirke, Weber, Woodvillo, and any towns to which tho mains were carried! It. woulo: on account of tho efficient 6ervico it provides, and its cheapness, undoubtedly oust all other fonts of fuel,; newer,.and lighting if exploited by the company. Its commercial' possibilities are therefore immense. In tho United States of America and in Western Can-, ada the advantages which a continuous supply of natural gae offers have long since been recognised and turned to use'. The City of Medicine Hat, in Albert J (Canaoa) is known as the cheapest city to lira in "Out West." Tho reason -is easy to find. It. lies in the fact that natural gas is universally used in the citv for heating, lighting, and cooking/ Tlw street lights are never turned out. So economical-is tho gas that it is cheaper to let the lights burn twenty-fojr hours a day than to pay for the cost of turriimr them oil and re-lighting, them. Natural gas is also tho mainstay of tho cities nf Chinook and Harve, in Hon. tana (U.S.A.) and other western cities;,". PROFESSOR'EASTERFIELD'S RE-"•' PORT. . ;-, A golden opportunity thus lies within tho grasp of the Waipatikf Oil Wells, Ltd.. and "in this connection Professor Easterfield's report, which runs as follow, makes interesting reading:— ; 4 » Dear Sir.—The sample of gas forward ca bv you gavo the following analytical results:— ' ';'{ ICRi\ Marsh Gas (Methane) 66.5? (C2HG). Ethane 15.4 Nitrogen 14.5 ■- Oxvfren 2.4' (CO2l Carbon Dioxide 1.2 , ' 100.0. The eas would be- very suitable for driving a gas engine or burning.with an incandescent mantle. :~ This analysis of the. gas from No. {I bore, and made by Professor Easterfietd,' reported on by ,T. A. Colquhoun, M.Scii and urderwritfen, shows that it comes from a petroleum supply. In his report Mr. Colnnhoun states:—

tana (U.S.A.) and other western cities;,". EASTERFIELD'S RE- "•' PORT. . ;-, A golden opportunity thus lies within tho grasp of the Waipatikf Oil Wells, Ltd.. and In this connection Professor Easterfield's report, which runs as follow, makes interesting reading:— ; 4 » Dear Sir.—The sample of gas forward co: by you gavo the following analytical results:— ' ':'{ ICRi\ Marsh Gas (Methane) 6G.5-'? (C2HG). Ethane 15.4 Nitrogen 14,5 ■- Oxvfren 2.4' (CO2l Carbon Dioxide 1.2 , ' 100.0. The eas would be- very suitable for driving a gas engine or burning.with an incandescent mantle. :~ This analysis of the. gas from No. {I bore, and made by Professor Easterfietd,' reported on by .T. A. Colqulioun, M.Scii and urderwritt'en, shows that it comes from a netroleum supply. In his report Mr. Colnnhoun states:— Scientific men are not yet agreed as to the'precise origin of petroleum; but it is recognised that it is, in all probability, fcrmed out of decaying animal an<i vegetable matter." - It is now accepted by geologists that the petroleum is always found in a series of "fields," which are really natural underground tanks, and that; these fields always run partrilel to a mountain Tange. Theso mountain ranees are not always to be found today, as they may have disappeared; but even if indications of their position can be traceo.' tho petroleum mining engineer knows where the deposits nro to bis looked ■ for. ' : Considering these two main points in regard to the Weber district, we hay* the mountain rauge in existenco to-day, and gas indications are foumrparallel to it.- so that in this resper;! the position of the Wnipatiki Oil Pre' 4 is very promising. Evidences of purine organisms are also found throug'Wiiß the district, which would supply tb.9" minimal matter' reouireo;.-' In order .to conserve tho oil formed from the animal matter of these organisms, it is necessary to have a thick; overlying bed,'as' if this upper strata'ia, thin, and especially if .it is broken by volcanic action and earth movements, the greater part of the oil may have esc'aD2'l. We may have profuse surface indications, .but the prospect of tapping a large supply of oil may be small. On the other haind, if the overlying bed is thick and unbroken it naturally confine's' tho oil. and the main indications on ttie surface may be (he lighter gases. Now tho overlying marls in this district are thick. DOssiblv from 3000 ft. to 5000 ft., and; if tho boro oroves the existenco of iino'er- 1 lvimr strata rich in marine organisms, the conditions aro favourable not only for .Hiding, oil, .but for tho tapping of a largo supply of oil. All the normal paraffins are found -in Dafure. chiefly in petroleum wells from which tho gaseous hydro-carbon 6 nro evolved as 60on as the pressure ceases that holds them in solution in tho crude oil. Baku is tho centre of .1 famous 'oil field. The holy fire.of Baku, which has been burning as long as history goes back, is methane. . From the oil wells in America methane and ethane issue, and aro conducted through pipes and utilised for. lighting, etc. By referring to-'Profes'sor Eastcrfielc/s analysis of the gas issuing from the ground close to the cdnipanv's bore, it will be seen that this gas is especially rich in methapo.,and ethane. The petroleum found in many of tho world's famous fields contains nitrogen, which has received tho name of nitrogen-petroleum. On again referring to the analysis of tho gas, it will bo 6oeu that it contains a considerable portion of nitrogen. Petroleum deposit* consist mainly of hydro-carbons, and ths first of theso to come off aro tho gaseous ones. The report shows tho gas to eorCr sist mainlv of the hydro-carbons, moV thano. and ethane. An analysis of tlia petroleum from Pennsylvania and B.aku gives the following results:— :■'■'-.'• Car-Hydro- Oxy-5 bon. gen. gen.; Pennsvlvanian .... 81.9 13.7 1.4 Baku 86.6 12.3 1.1 1 Professor Easterfield's report on tha Weber gas gives the following percentage of these elements:— « Car- Hydro- Oxy- • bon. gen. gen. I' Weber gas , 62.51 10.68 3.07'. When it is remembered that tho lighter cases havo a higher percentage of hydro-; gen and .consequently less of carbon, tho above comparison certainly points to tho' fact that this gas is derived from a" petroleum supply. To sum up: Both chemical and goological considerations afford favourable evidence as lb tho presence of a largo supply of petroleum in this district. The test of this evidence is in the bore goingthrough tho overlying mar! bod, which; is probably from 3000 to 5000 feet thick. \ J. A. COLQUHOUN, M.Sc, [ Science Master, Palniorslon High ;