PETROLEUM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8114, 19 May 1906, Page 2

PETROLEUM.

HISTORY OF THE FOURTH BORE. FIRE AND DISASTER. After abandoning the oil vein found on 21th February, 1896, Mr li. E. Fair on 3rd March reached a depth of 1077 feot, and the water was successfully shut off by the 5-inch casing at 1045 feet, and drilling was resumed. The strata continued to be papa, with occasional hard streaks of sandstone, to 1190 feet, reached on the 11th March, Owing to the strata being very soft there, and water having leaked from below the casing, the 5-inch casing was then pulled, and the hole " reaned " to admit of the six-inch casing. Previous to this, on the 29th February, Mr Fair hid left for Sydney, and Mr Samuel assumed his duties as managing director. By the 27th March Mr Samuel re-

ported the depth as 1235 feet, with water efEectually cut off, and that drilling was proceeding by night and day shifts. At 1335 feet, papa, strongly smelling of petroleum, was brought up in the sand pump. Subsequently water again leaked from below the casing, but at 1350 feet, the gas became very apparent, and work by night was discontinued, the casing being lowered lo 1307, where the streak of sandstone had been met with.

On the 20th April, Mr Samuel telegraphed to Sydney that on commencing work in the morn'ng, he had found iwo feet of brown oil on the top of tho water, in the bore, at a depth of 1393 feet. On Ist May, Mr Samuel reported the depth at 1158 feet, and that the spoil from the sand-pump showed no signs of oil, but there was still a considerable quantity of gas coming from the bore. At Bth May, the depth was 1500 feet, in hard papa, without any sign oE oil, and with very little gas, but at 1520 feot there was considerable oil and gas showing. At 1515 feet, considerable difficulty was experienced owing to the soft nature of the strata—the hole caving badly. By the 4th June, Mr Samuel reported the depth at 1525 feet, and on the 11th, that a considerable volume of gas had boen struck at 1675 teet, but that the drillers had not been able to shut off

the water, as they were continually endeavouring to do. The gas shortly

afterwards ceased to be noticeable, but a new supply of gas appeared ten feet lower. On 3rd July the depth was reported at 1730 with 1379 feet cased with six-inch and 1725 feot with five-inch, and that the hole had caved badly at about 1680 feet.

On 20th July Mr Samuel reported the depth at 1800 feet, in papa, and that the gas had decreased sufficiently to allow of work being continued by nig'it shifts. On the sth August, the depth was L9lO feet, sandstone smelling of petroleum, and on 10th August, the drillers at a depth of 1970 feet recommended abandoning the bore, as nothing but sandstone had been met with for the last 120 feet, and they considered it useless to bore deeper in such strata. On the 14th August Mr Samuel reported that he had stopped the drilling at 1995 feet, and had sent lilt pump to the bottom, so as to make sure of the strata, and on examining tho cup subsequently, ho had found it to contain papa strongly impregnated with oil. A repetition of the sand-pumping showed tho same result, and he had instructed the drillers to proceed with the drilling; they had then reached 2010 feet. On the 21st August, water was effectually shut off at 1918 feet, aud tho work of cleaning out the hole by sand-pumping commenced. After running the pump some eight or ten times, water and gas were ejected to a height ot about forty feet, and subsequently pure oil began to flow slowly, and continued to do so for two hours to an extent of about 11 gallons of oil similar to tliat previously obtained. Subsequently, after again sand-pumping, oil and water began to flow together, but very slowly. This ran into a tank, where separation took place, and the oil was run off in barrels. Water not proving to be effectually shut off, the drillers recommended "packing," Again ex iggerated reports were circulated. Mr Samuel, reporting on 21st August, stilted : "We see with regret that the'irrepressible newsman has been telegraphing the news.' We did not cable to you, because this might after all have been a pocket—indeed it may still have been one—and not a large supply. The fact, however, of our now being through the papa, and in sandstone, leads up to hope that we have at length reached payable oil." We feel quite confident to continue to manage with our two drillers, who agree that tliey require no further assistance." Shortly afterwards, 22nd August, the works were burned down. The incident was described m the Board's minutes of 2'lth August: " The works having been destroyed by fire on Saturday at 9.30 p.m., the directors met on the ground at 9 a m., and completed the inquiries commenced on Saturday night-, and continued on Sunday. It appeared that as the water and oil continued to flow, tile head driller on leaving tho works on Saturday night placed B, Gillbanks (one of his staff, and who was considered a reliable man) in charge, with instructions to remain in tho enginehouso and to visit the derrick occasionally when necessary to run off tho oil as it accumulated. Ho warned Gillbanks to lie very careful with a light when visiting tho derrick, and to place it at a particular spot where he considered it could not be a source of danger. Gillbanks stated that, at about 9.30 p.m., he went from tho engine-house to the derrick in order to run off oil, placed the lamp (an ordinary kerosene lamp) as directed by the head driller, and went close to the bore and began to run off the oil. Whilst thus engaged ho states that he

saw a flash of fire pass between the lamp and the bore (a distance, he says, of about ten feet). He made a rush to the engine-house, and thence outside, and as he rushed out he says the whole of the derrick was a mass of flames. A few moments after, tin oil and the gas in the shaft (of which a large quantity must have accumulated from the oil at 015 feet as well as recently) exploded with a loud noise, and the oil spurted orer the whole of the works and ran iuto the lagoon. The secretary, drillers and men (who were off duty and m New Plymouth at the time) all hastened to the ground, but little could be done on account of the intense heat and body of flime, Some of the barrels of oil outside were rolled aw ly, and ell'oKs were made, with more or less success,

to save Ihc ongine aud boiler. On

investigation, it appears that although alt woodwork, cable, and thinner ironwork are destroyed, most of the necessary tools are still capable of being rendered serviceable." The directors took immediate steps to repair (he plant, and in particular to

connect tlie mouth of the bore with a tank, so as to secure the oil and water, and save the former at the same time telegraphing to Sydney for further plant and for the requisites m order to re-erect tlie derrick and resume work, On tho 29th August, whilst conyeying tho recommendations of the New pet lower. On 3rd July the depth I 1 as renprted at 1730 feak with 1379 I? Samuel instructs me to warn the Sydney directors against giving credence to cable news, unless sent direct by ourselves. We have seen in newspapers most exaggerated reports telegraphed Erom New Plymouth, end he fears that they have found their way to Sydney. The most we can say is that we have again struck oil, but no one can yet whet'icr it is payable or not, and it may be that wo may bo again disappointed aud eitlior lose tho oil or else find th it it comes in with the water, as in tlie case of the number one boro lirst abandoned by Mr Pair."