FORTUNE IN BORNEO OF WELLS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 137, 19 September 1910, Page 7

FORTUNE IN BORNEO OF WELLS

EXTENSIVE DUTCH PLANT.

LARGEST WAX REFINERY IN THE

WORLD.

UNLIMITED FIELD.

The oil fields of Borneo, that equatorial island continent in the East Indian Archipelago, have attracted a good deal of attention recently from the commercial world, and some facts supplied to a recent visitor to those parts should prove interesting, especially as many people are looking hopefully upon Taranaki to take a place in the world's market as an oil-producing district. A Times reporter on Tuesday had a chat with Captain Campbell, of the steamer Kylemhor, now discharging a cargo of jarrah at the King's wharf. The vessel, which belongs to the line of the Kyle Steam Ship Company, of Glasgow, has done of good deal of "tramp-1 ing," and, on a recent voyage, took a j carrgo of sulphur ore from Seville j (Spain) to Balik Pappan (Borneo). V/iiik all hands \v.:re busy in delivering! the sulphur ore for use in the oil 1 refineries, Captain Campbell found opportunity to pay a visit to the works.

EARTH-IPOURINGS IN ALL PARTS,

The port of Balik Pappan is the chief seat of the industry, but Borneo is a practically undiscovered country, and parties are now exploring the forest interior for the purpose of oil-getting. A big field lies before them. Already, however, there are numerous valuable and active oil wells in different parts of the country, and the trade is even now enormous. In the refinery district, the outlying wells convoy their output to the greedy works along lines of pipes, but the spoils from ore distant earthspouts are collected by coastal tank steamers, whose liquid cargoes are pumped into receiving tanks of gasometer dimensions.

' It is perilous work about these refineries. A tTench of running water encircles the building where the purified products are stored, and, in the event of fire in any part of the works, the whole population may be looked upon to assist in prompt extinguishing measures. The extent of the damage likely to result from the explosion of thousands of gallons of benzine confined in a 'huge tank can hardly be imagined. Again, benzine floats on the sea, and if this dangerous hydro-carbon were allowed to escape in any quantity, it would imperil approaching vessels. GREAT HOPES IN SARAWAK.

A monopoly of the oil industry is held by De Bataafsche Petroleum Maatschappij —or words to that effect—the company holding concessions from the Royal Dutch Company. Although the fields had been worked in a small way for some years by Sir Marcus Samuei (who was Lord Mayor of London, eight years ago), it was not until recently that anything like a substantial' yield was obtained. Then the industry was taken over by the Dutch, an 4 Sir Marcus Samuel moved to Sarawak, a subdivision of Borneo, under British protection, where he struck rich fields only the other day. It is thought by some people that Sarawak will develop more extensively even than the Dutch territory. Drilling for oil goes down to varying depths, 300 and 500 feet being not uncommon, and from'some of the wells a continuous flow is obtained. Dams are built round the geysers when necessary, and the oil is drained as it collects. Upon being received at the refinery, the crude petroleum is treated with suljpihuric acid, and it passes through numerous other processes at the hands of the chemical experts before the by-pro-ducts are all extracted, engine oil, lubricating oil, turpentine, kerosene,petrol, and other oils being duly prepared, and paraffin wax turned out in squares ready lor shipment to clamouring markets. The exports from Borneo refineries go to all parts of the world, and already rival in quantity the output of the famous Pennislyvania oil fields. When the works are in full swing, it is expected that the daily output of the wax refinery, the largest in the world, will- be counted, not in pounds, but in tons.

( OIL TO HEAT OIL.

All of the heating of the refinery vats 'is done by the burning of crude petroleum, so tihat coal, quantities of which have recently been discovered in the country, is not required, and all steamers trading in these waters are fitted with burners which enable them to use oil fuel. Borneo is no place for white labour, because of. the prevalence of malaria, and some of the experts who explore the interior suffer severely. There is a distressing lack of vegetable foods, and most of the white people's victuals comprise tinned stuffs imported from Singapore and other places. Orchids i are to be found in the forests, and attempts are being made in the direction 1 of establishing the rubber industry. This lis looked upon as a possible source of weat wealth, and already several plantations are flourishing. What little I manual labour is connected with the oil 1 industry is done by the natives, among whom are also a number of Chinese, but the white workman eschews Borneo, ana I the ills attendant on its tropical climate, weeks.