TARANAKI OILFIELD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 176, 18 August 1909, Page 2

TARANAKI OILFIELD.

OPERATIONS AT MOTUROA A PROMISING OUTLOOK. Oli. FOUND AT THE LOWER LEVELS. Developments at the No. 3 bore, commonly known as ''Samuels," go to support the manager, Mr. W. A. Simpson, in his freijuent avowals that the Tnranaki Petroleum Company should endeavour to taj) the lower levels. It was strenuously argued by some, and the argument bolstered up with quotations from reports upon Taranaki's underlying strata, that it would be unwise to abandon the seams which have been tapped on the field at Moturoa, and that it would be better to endeavour to exhaust these. Recently, however, f the Taranaki Company's directors authorised Mr. Simpson to resume work at No. o bore, which had been closed down for a long time, and to bore to SOW) feel unless oil was found at a higher level. As previously chronicled, -Mr. riimpsun had numerous difficulties' to surmount, but at length he got the -hoie" cleaned of tools and debris. Then lie resumed operations. Yesterday morning at three o'clock, when the drill had pierced to a depth of 2078 feet, a blow-out occurred. Gas rushed from the mouth of the bore with tremendous force, throwing mud to a great height. The mud sinelled oi oil. During the morning the sand-pump brought up more mud, and at lengtu pure oil Uowed from the pump when drawn.

A "Daily News" representative visited the bore yesterday afternoon witj Jtessrs C. Carter (acting-chairman) and C. E. Bellringer, two of the directors. Air. Simpson gave the depth of the bore as 2078 feet. The casing was within 40 feet of the bottom, and the sides appeared to be standing up well. Attention was immediately directed to the mouth of the bore, whence emerged a jet of gas such as has not been previously encountered on the field. There was no need to look for it. It rose in a rushing column of. steam straight into the air to a height of twenty feet or so, and the smell of petroleum was very strong. The manager exhibited a vessel filled with the petroleum brought up in the sand-pump. It was more yellowish than previous samples, and much denser, congealing in a few minnteß when exposed to the air. It win more like wax than oil, and seemed to contain a very large percentage of wax. The material thrown up with the oil was a fine gravel. For the benefit of the party the manager, who is working "coat off" in charge of the shift, lowered the pump to within eight feet of the bottom. Withdrawn, the pump gave water, and a quantity of oil, The next cast was to a depth of 2053 feet, or 25 feet from I the bottom. Pure petroleum, without a trace of water, was the result, the stuff being similar to that obtained earlier in the afternoon. Again thepump was lowered, this time to a depth of 2008 feet, or twelve feet from the bottom. A very small quantity of water came up, and plenty of oil, showing that tliu well was practically "dry." Air. Simpson was careful to state the well wns practically dry; it looked like it, but ht was not prepared as yet to announce that it was so. All this -time the gas was rushing forth as though it would never cease. The conclusion come to was that the indications were very, very favourable, and raised hopes that when the gas has eased off somewhat, and the well is ready for further pumping operations, a good supply of oil will be obtained. Of course, the amount of oil at this level is as yet an unaseertainable quantity.

AT NO. 2 BORE. A visit was paid then to Xo. 2 bore, in charge of Mr. D. Berry, where it waj seen that the lowering of the casing was proceeding very satisfactorily, it having reached within forty feet of the bottom.

A MIDNIGHT REPORT FROM THE WORKS. Communicating with Xo. 3 Imrc just before midnight, we learned from the manager fiat the pressure of gas was as great as ever, if not on the increase. He had saved two barrel-,' of oil during the evening. There was very little water in the well.

The Xo. 3 bore is over four hundred feet deeper tha n the Xo. i well and is by far the deepest on the field.

INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS. An international petroleum congress met in London hi .May at the Hotel Cecil, at which the only country not oflicially represented was' England.' Similar congresses have been held (states the Daily Mail) since 1900 at Paris, Brussels, ami Bucharest, and the American Government has issued an invitation for another to be held at Washington. England will be represented only by Or. Paul Dvorkovitz, who originated the gathering. Others attending are from Austria, France, Germany, Holland. Hungary, Bohemia, Italy, Norway Russia, Servia, Spain, and the United States.

The congress lias in view:— _ 1. Standardising the methods of testing petroleum.

2. Making the names of petroleum products the Same all over so that lamp oil No. 1 or lubricating No. 2 would mean the same thing everywhere. 3. Creating international regulations for the transport of petroleum by sea or land.

At present much confusion prevails especially as regards transport. The question of transport regulations is so great that all the Governments have appointed special delegates on this matter, except England.