THE PETROLEUM BORE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8090, 21 April 1906, Page 2

THE PETROLEUM BORE.

9 SUCCESS IN SIGHT. During tho past three or four days Mr Fair and his staff at tho petroleum bore, at Moturoa, have been engaged in the somewhat slow and arduous work lof clearing the bore of the accumulations of sand and other detritus which accumulated during the sinking of the six inch casing. Owing to the hard, gritty nature of the material, tho cups and washers of the pump have quickly worn out; in one ease having only been in operatiou an hour when the rods had to be drawn and the plunger renewed. As the pump is working at a depth of 2300 odd feet—nearly half a mile—it will be readily understood that results cannot be expected in a day. The manager's anticipation that the six inch casing would effectually shut off the inflow of water, has been demonstrated beyond doubt.' Tho mixture now being pumped consists almost wholly of oil and sand—the sand in rapidly diminishiug quantities. In the course of probably another two days the bore should be completely clear of sand, and the long-looked for oil llowing. At present gas is discharging from the mouth of the bore at a considerable pressure, enough the manager states, to keep steam up on two boilers, of the size of the ono in use at the works, and which is using the ijas for fuel.

On the whole the prospects were never so encouraging, and Mr Fair expresses himself confident of success. It would appear that the £40,000 thai has been spent ,iii tho endeavour to locate a payable oil well, is at last to show some return, although few of the original speculators will participate in the anticipated success.