PETROLEUM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 21 October 1907, Page 2

PETROLEUM.

THE TAIiAXAKI FIELD. CAL'TAIX AXDIIKWS' VIEWS. Captain Harry Ami.e'.v, of Cleveland, Ohio, C.S.A., ill Liie eoiusu ol au interview Willi the Oliig'O Daily -limes, had much of interest to say concerning the future "of Aew Zealand as all oil-pro- J ducing country. Captain Andrew's tool; . a prominent part in many engagements i ill Hie American civil war, and has had : twenty-live years of active experience . at the dili'erent oilfields of Pennsylvania, j Texas, and California. "1. presume," said Captain Andrews, "you wain ne to say sinicthing «s to the prospects .tliis Dominion possesses of becoming a great oil-producer. Well, I have, devoted some time and considerable study to the subject ever since oil was Struck ill Taranaki. I have traced from siirf'-i.ce indications, both from personal experience and from correspondence, a track of territory extending from tlio East Cape to Kapier, from l'icton to 'Jlokit:];a, and from New Plymouth to Wellington. In tlie liisborne district prospecting has extended over thirty years. "Coming back to the district between Sew Plymouth and Wellington, there can be found ill a great many places gas aiul oily substances 'seeping' from the ground, and greasy mudlioles in abundance. These conditions may be traced at intervals from the sea at New Plymouth to within a few miles of Wellington, and it is these surface indications that furnish the stock-in-trade of the promoter of petroleum wells. However, scarcely a word has appeared as to the geological conditions of the locality. "I hold that the future will disprove the theory that petroleum will be found in pockets on account of volcanic action in the Taranaki district. I hold that it will be proved that volcanic action ante- ' dates pctro'euin deposits there. I was ' told by a promoter some iifteen months since that the drillers on a well, at a depth of 2300 ft, struck a lake of oil, and the tools dropped sl't. After dril- » ling through anotlier 21't of rock tliev struct another lake of oil .Oft deep, and ' it was then suggested to explode a ' charge of dynamite and blast the two 1 lakes into one.

'•'rile petroleum in Taranaki will lie found within a limited belt," said Captain Andrews, "and if ;i bore is within tlmt belt crude petroleum will be found; if not within the belt no petroleum will be found. As to its being in payable quantities, time alone can prove. _ Further, trom an economical standpoint, it would have been better to have had some concerted action in regard to putting down test wells, even in Taranaki. For instance, they should have put down a dozen wells, no one of which should have been bored nearer than half a mile from the producing well, and no % othcr nearer than half a mile from that again. In this manner a complete test would have been made of the surrounding country nearest to the centre of attraction. and at one fourth the cost of the methods now being pursued, ft certainly would have been wiser to have followed the belt already defined than to have been led by the surface indications. Even a very* thin layer of asphalt, with w:itcr 'seeping' through it, has been traced as the source, and the impregnated water may rise to Die surface a mile or more away. This, or oxide of iron, or both, could be classed with the signs that would produce the conditions dear to the heart of the prospector. Mudholes and springs with traces of petroleum may be traced at interval.? from the East Cape to Ifokitika. These are but a few of the signs that might mislead the novice in regard to surface indications of petroleum beneath." Captain Andrews, continuing, said: "A recent communication from Taranaki tells me that they are now of opinion that the wells will all have to go to a .1000 ft level instead of to 2300 ft as expected. Taranaki is now going through its apprenticeship with all other new oilfields, but if prospecting wells are continued in a systematic and practical manner at reasonable distances from each other, someone will yet strike a rich flow of petroleum, amply repaying all previous outlay."

TARANAKI PETROLEUM COMPANY'S REPORT. The directors of the Taranaki Petroleum Co., Ltd., state that there are no new developments to report this week. At No. 1 the work of lowering t<n.; easin" is being proceeded with steadily. 2, the Gin easing proving tight, the oin casing has been all put in, and the work of drilling deeper is going on. The depth of this bore is now 2142 ft. At No. 3, the last hard streak not proving satisfactory, the casing was lowered some two feet on to another lrird place and an attempt will be made to-day to shut otT the water. The dentil of this bore is now 23nSft, or the greatest depth yet obtained in New ZeaAU bores are showing more or less oil, but anything like a permanent supply is not looked for until the hard strata thai No. 3 is now on is pierced.