110 GALLONS AN HOUR

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 301, 29 January 1910, Page 4

110 GALLONS AN HOUR

M). 1 POPE OX OIL. GO P.AKKELS IX 24 HOCUS.. A PECOKD FOK THE FIELD.. There was not a little e\citemeni in town u'sienlay when it became vv.iowuthat ( ,n at Nil. 2 bore was nWinj freely anu had been doing so for the previous -4 hours. Ever -mee the boring tools penetrated the latest win o a Thursday afternoon, there has been an almost continuous outllow from the mouth of tlie bore, ejected at enormous prepuce. It is scarcely correct to say ''continuous," for during the 24 hours under notice, from (i o'clock on Thursday afternoon till 0 o'clock yesterday afternoon there were regular outlm.v.:s of about 35 minutes duration, with u; to ■T m'mitcs' intermission between each How. These occurred with do-k like regularity, the only variation being that enc" outburst was stronger iaii the one preceding. The energy of the well has to I>> sc,. N to be appreciated, out it in onlv giving the cold truth to state that while the blow-out is on. a "solid" stream is being literally hurled from the full ..rpaeity Of a two-inch pipe. Comme'.i .;: with .1 great roar of gas, the oil .n I salt's nter is ejected at first slowly, but mcn.ving everv minute until after a oinrter of an hou r the raie o f onUhiw i- Lmited onlv by the capa it.- of the pipe. This is kept up for .r il-ab! .: ten i unites, and thereafter the well gradnn'i; sinks bad; into qiiicsc;. e again for three-quarter's of in lion-, during wlr.ch the onlv reminder or the 'ate «<t!vity is (he roar of the ga-, from the 'juh Hi of the pipe. Measurements taken yesterday afternoon showed that an average of 14 to 15 gallons a minute was being ejected during the half-hour's plav. Of eourre the greater proportion of this is salf, water, but correct tally is being kept of the oil, the water being run ofl' from a tap at the bottom of the tank as the bore empties itself in at th? top. The water of course immediately goes to the bottom, the oil, which is 'emitted at a high temperature, floating on lop. At an early hour yesterday, the tank which has a holding capacity of 1000 gallons (-15'/,. barrels) was 'full, «ui;l two-thirds of it was «yphoncd into one of the underground reservoirs. Py six o'clock last night, the tank was again full within nine inches of the top, with only a small proportion of water at t~.it* bottom. At the lowest estimate ovor (in barrel.-; (2n20 gallons) of pure oil had. been ejected and stored within the 24 hours. This quantity has never, under circumstances of steady flow, been previously approached. At a late hour last night lh-re wrs I no variation in the conditions, and >fc I now remains to be seen for how long I the present pressure will be maintained. Of course it is quite impossible to do j any further development work, hut if j tiie pressure eases ofl' sufficiently, bdri ing to v, grratt'i- depth will he resume']. | Later on. the casing will be perforated' i opposite each oil seam passed through, I and the full producing capacity of the j well tapped. I Work is being steadily prosecuted at | No. 1 (the Pirthday) 'bore, and the I whole depth of the well has almost been cleaned out. Thereafter Mr. Keith will commence experiments with a view to overcoming the obstacles that led to the closing down of this well, after its sensational yield. j At Xo. ", ov; rything was in readiness j for a resumption of pumping last night. I The oil shows no falling off here, and a | considerable quantity has been coining I away of its own volition during tho I temporary co-nation of pumping.