THE PETROLEUM BORE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8092, 24 April 1906, Page 2

THE PETROLEUM BORE.

SPLENDID FLOW TAPPED. 100 GALLONS IN 25 MINTTTES. Considerable excitement- was manifested in town yesterday wheD it was rumoured abroad that oil was flowing freely from the petroloum bore at Moturoa. The works were visited during the day by a Daily News' reporter, and the rumours verified.

It appears that on Sunday evening oil commenced „to flow spasmodically from the pipes, forced up and ejected by the pressure of gas. The indications were equally promising yesterday morning, and although the leather washers on the plunger were almost worn out by the grit and sand in the pump and required renewing, it was decided to cominonce pumping for a while.

The result exceeded all anticipations. Despite the pump could not be expected to work satisfactorily, the oil commenced to flow freely into tho tanks. As the pressure of gas increased the oil was ejected with considerable force, to such good purpose that at least 400 gallons was collected after twenty-five minutes' pumping. The oil was a splendid sample, completely free from any trace of water. There was, however, a good deal of sand mixed with it, showing that the bore is not yet completely free from tbe sand and grit which accumulated during the rocent sinking of the sixinch casing. The amount is visibly decreasing, and probably another day's pumping, after the plungers are renovated, will completely clear the pipes of all detritus.

The fact of the sand beiug mixed with the oil is of no moment, so far as the #il itself is concerned, as the sand is got rid of by precipitation. The pressure of gas is increasing considerably, and it is intended to put a pressure gauge on to-day to test the pressure.

Considerable speculation in shares took place yestorday, a considerable number being reported to have changed hands at special prices.