PETROLEUM NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81824, 17 August 1906, Page 2

PETROLEUM NEWS.

SPLENDID RESULTS AT MOTUKOA. OIL IN No. 3 BOItE. _ There was considerable stir in oil circles last night when it was reported that petroleum had been struct in No. 3 bore. On investigation it was found that the report was in no way overstated. This particular bore is an old ono which was sunk under Mr Samuel s supervision some years ago. Splendid oil was tapped, but the bore had eventually to bo abandoned, owing to the water difficulty. Mr Pair, hay" ing demonstrated at the Birthday well that tho water can bo effectua.ly shut off, the Taranaki Petroleum Company decided to re-open the old bore, and "case it. Work was only commenced this week, a shaft being sunk as usual, prior to drilling. Yesterday afternoon, at a depth of 12 feet, oil commenced oozing up freely, showing that tho bore, thoughbloclced at certain depths, is still an outlet for the oil well beiow. The pressure gradually increased as the top of the old bore hole was reached, and gas commenced to make its presence unpleasant The oil was collected in buckets, and proved to be a puro sample—evidently identical with that now running from the Birthday pipes. The find is extremely cheering, as a second payable well has undoubtedly been secured. The bore only requires to be cased with seven inch pipes (which are now on their way from Sydney), and the water shut off as was done at No, 1 well, and a second well will be ready for commission. The derrick will be commenced next week, and tho machinery for boring and tho sand-pump will be' ready before it is completed. Mr Pair expects that it will only take six woeks to put the',bore in working order. Boring operations at No. 2 well are now going full blast. The new drillers are expected to arrive from Australia next week and thereafter work will be kept going continuously. It is expected that it will take four months to complete this bore, At' the Birthday well, the pressure continues to increase, and oil is all the time oozing from every joint in the pipes. Large quantities of oil are drawn oil by openiug tho tap the slightest turn. Were the pressure not occasionally eased, the pipes apparently would give way under the strain. Aitogether the indications exceed the highest expectations and the shareholders of this company should lrnve no cause to regret their investment.

THE INGLEWOOD COMPANY. A number of Jsetr Plymouth and Jnglcwood gentlemen proceeded on 1 hursday afternoon to Norfolk-road, lo view the natural gas issuing in places from the property of Mr J. Burgess, over which the Inglewood Oil Iforing an I Prospecting Company lias boring rights. A match was applied to the gas, and the inevitable billy boiled, afternoon tea being made and partaken of. Photographs were taken of the yiew, and before the company dispersed, Mr D. McAUtim took tte opportunity to thank, on behalf of the promoters, Mr L. Alexander, for the trouble he had gono to m promoting the interests oE tho company and for securing boring rights over 2001) additional acres. Mr Alexander suitably expressed his appreciation of the complimentary reference, and thanked the farmers for the assistance they had rendered him as the representative of the company. Mr McAllum, remarking on the prospects of tho company, said that when tho company was formed, 175 of the 500 £lO shares were allotted to laranaki. These had been over-sub-scribed, and the directors had allocated another 75 shares to Taranaki, of which 35 had already been applied for. The success of tho flotation is now positively assured