PETROLEUM NEWS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 267, 21 March 1911, Page 4

PETROLEUM NEWS

GREAT ACTIVITY AT NO. 3 BORE.

Yesterday, No. 3 bore at Moturoa showed great activity, and there were several extensive blow-outs, the most violent that have yet been experienced at the bores. The silt, water, and oil were belched forth fully fifty feet above the top of the derrick, which is itself sixty feet high. It is some time since the last blow-out was experienced at this bore. The well was then 3008, feet deep, and since that time drilling has been continued in good.boring country, through papa and fairly porous sandstone, without any untoward experiences. When 3070 feet was reached, yesterday morning, warning symptoms wer» given that a seam of gas had been reached, Boring was continued for another ten feet. The rush of gas then beoaine so strong that the tools were withdrawn. At about 12.30 p.m. there was a rush and a roar, and mud and water were hurled, as stated, fifty feet above the derrick. Such was the force behind it that it forced it way through every crack in the building, and the sur» roundings were soon covered with silt and oil. The outburst lasted nearly three-quarters of an hour before it quietened down temporarily, only to be renewed 'a little later' with still greater energy, and to recur frequently during the afternoon. As the bore cleared itself of silt, etc., the debris from each succeeding eruption was found to bo mere strongly impregnated with oil, and Mr. Keith, the manager, made arrangements immediately to cap the bore ana save the oil, The bore is cased down to within seven feet of the bottom. This outburst is particularly encouraging, an showing that the directors are on the right track in sinking deeper for oil, and that they have not yet gone below the oil-bearing strata. No. 5 bore is now down l to 1220 feet, in good drilling country. No. 2 bore still continues to flow as freely as ever.