PETROLEUM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8124, 1 June 1906, Page 2

PETROLEUM.

HISTOBY OP THE BOEING. THE EIGHTH BOEE. The syndicate, undismayed by the previous efforts to obtain payablo oil in the other bores having failed, decided to provide further funds and to bore again on Honeyfield's farm, a few hundred yards to the south of No. 4 bore, which still continued to produce oil at intervals, and to provide supplies for the Petone railway works. At this time Mr Samuel procurod an l inspection and test of the gas which ' continued also to be emitted from the < same bore, but the expert reported • that it was insufficient for the eontem- I plated use at the adjaoent freezing works. The sixth bore (on Mr Okey's ' farm), and the 7th bore (on Mr Veale's ' farm), and the fifth bore (on Mr Putt's < farm) were finally filled in and abandoned, all the casing having been ' meanwhile withdrawn and saved, and, after some little delay, boring was proceeded with at the new site, The ' strata met were, as a rule, similar to those in No. 6 bore, and drilling proceeded rapidly and successfully. At 1410 feet, water was effectually shut off, and within a few feet below a large quantity of gas was struck, accompanied by traces of oil. As drilling prooeeded, the progress beoame more slow, owing to incessant cavings, ' and 5-inch casing had to be sent down ' inside the 6-inch, During these operations another large supply of gas was struck, throwing oily mud over the [ derrick and around the bore for a dis--1 tance of over 100 yards, but very litI tie oil was obtained, and the gas was speedily exhausted. At 2052 feet, there being 1 no appearance of either gas or oil, the bore was filled in and abandoned, after the casing had all boen withdrawn and saved. The total cost of this bore did not exceed £I2OO. THE NINTH BOEE. After some further delay, some of the local syndicate had dropped out of the venture, Mr Samuel arranged with the othors for one last effort, and acquired the freehold of about an acre, including the No. 4 bore, from which oil was still being obtained. The site selected was in close proximity to (ouly some 40 feet from) the No. 4 bore Here a derrick was erected, and drill! mg was commenced, and proceeded oxpeditiously and without accident, the object being to reach the level at which oil had been first struck in the bore close by—ols feet-from wiiioh level (as well as from the 1934 feet) oil had continuously flowed at intervals, outside the 6-inch casing with which the bore was lined. As the now bore deepened, water was kept perpetually shut off by the 6-inch casing, lowered from time to time as any fresh "hard streak was met with. Thus, on 6th ! July ■, 18)01, a depth of 932 feet was reached without any show of oil, water b ,mg effectually shut off at 922 feet Onthe26thAugnst a depth of 1080 tcot had been reached, the water having continued to be effectially shut off, but no trace of oil or gas was obscrvable, so that it appeared evident that the oil vein at 915 feet had been passed by. The syndicate then determined to abandon the enterprise, and drew all its casing, sold its plants and materials, and wound up.

The results of the operations from 1891 to 1901 were thus ten bores—to depths of 915 feet, 1021 feot, 1534 feet, 1976 feet, 2050 feet, 302 feet, 1500 feet, 2052 feet, and 1080 feet—obtained by the expenditure of £15,000. During the drilling of tho last five bores, the results were obtained at comparatively small cost, the management being economical, and the work not accompanied by the accidents and delay which characterised earlier operations.

During the whole period none of the directors of the companies and syndicates (with the exception perhaps of the English directors in the first company) ever accepted any remuneration for tlieir services, other than the remuneration paid to Mr B. E. Fair, during the short time that he was managing director of the New PlymouthSydney Company.

Mr Samuel acted as managing director and general manager without charge |thrdughout, and also did the whole of the law work (including the obtaining and registering of grants over several thousand acres) gratuitously from first to last.