PETROLEUM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 77, 27 April 1909, Page 3

PETROLEUM

VOC.ELTOWX BORE. EXCOI'RACILNG PROSPECTS. U is now about two vcars since the Taranaki Oil and Freehold Company started operations at their properlv on Carrington lload, distant a mile from town. The management sti nek out on diirereiu lines to those pursued bv file other prospecting oil companies. ' J nev bad a theory as to tin., means best suited to test the iiehl, anil acted accorilin'gly. They lir.-t of all put down a 1.-1-iueh casing—the largest casing, it, is understood, used in Australasia. The boring was difficult, owing to the volcanic nature of the formation, and consequently slow progress was miiile. When the well was down 214 feet the water was effectively shut oil'. Twelve-inch casing was then substituted. At the Ktllfl. level, country was tapped which proved the correctness of the tlieorv upon whien operations were based—liamelv, I hill the bore was on what is geologically known as an anticline. Hiring has been steadily going on since, until now SOOit. of 12iu. casing inn been put down, making the depth of the well over tooull.

Small shows of cil were met with at different stages, but of late Ihe indications have been more pronounced and

tiivorable. At the 1000 ft. depth a stratum of petroliferous sandstone was pierced, a sure sign of the proximity of oil measures. Tji u sandstone itself is saturated with oil.

Yesterday morning tli<' dinvlors paid a visit to the works. The manager. Mr. lialloeh, was Inisily engaged in drill-' iug. but discontinued this work ami, for tue benefit of -the directors, juit down thi' >aml pump three limes. The lirst. pumping contained pulverised sandstone, smelling strongly of oil. The second pumping brought up ,1 material much thinner, of a green Hue, and containing a greater proportion of oil. Tile third pumping yielded the liest sample. A thick coat of oil immediately rose to the surface, and several of those: present lllled tins with tile substance, which was of a distinctly different color to that obtained at lloturoa, being almost green. The oil is increasing steadily, and the manager is very hopeful regarding the prospects of the bore. Chatting with our representative, he stated that tiie prospects could not be more encouragrag than they are. The petroliferous sand, lis elated, was the very .best indication that could lie obtained, unci with the bore down a few hundred feet, more there was a strong probability of the main oil seams being tapped.