PETROLEUM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81891, 20 November 1906, Page 2

PETROLEUM.

On Monday afternoon the boro at No. 2 derrick had bjc; sunk to a depth ot ncany 170011. Gas vvas escaping in laigc quantities, and the atmosphe,r l e wals impregnated wifdi 1110 odour of petroleum. Two of the staff gathnteu quantities of crude petroieum from the top of the water in the shaft me 6-inch and ■ lie 8-inch ca-ing. 'l'nu indications are in every way satisfactory. At No. 3 bore'., the casing lias been sunk 'O a depth of 250 ft. Ihe Birthday well has been showing most satisfactory yet itoublcsome features during the past week. The pressure of gas and oil from below uurst away tile fittings at Uie lop of the pipe on a coupic of occasions, but no serious loss of oil occurred until Sunday morning, when from a tiny eak a stiung spout of oi was tcaced, and probably 20 barrels of petroleum ran to waste, some of it pouring out 011 the Breakwaicr-road. i he staff had the utmost difficulty in checking the escape, but eventually mis was dlone. (Ju Monday the directors met at the well and decided 011 a method of preventing any recurrence of the accident, Mr B. O'Duwda is in of operations during ihe illness of the manager, Mr Fair. The new clenirk on the WhitclcjMission is about completed, and the plant has been ordered. The Rotoiti is expected to land today the boring plant for the "Bonithon" syndicated