OIL FOR NEW ZEALAND

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1940, Page 6

OIL FOR NEW ZEALAND

It is difficult to understand why the Government does not attempt to obtain from the Moturoa field some of the petroleum it so urgently needs. Under existing conditions the winning of oil in New Zealand at short notice woqld be invaluable, and certainly justifies measures- that might not be considered economic or expedient in normal times. Tbe ' fact that three wells on the Moturoa field have been producing continually and consistently for years from a shallow horizon without any drilling and with little attention proves beyond doubt that petroleum is there. A small refinery has been operating for some years on the product of these three wells, but it is not working to capacity, and if the crude petroleum were produced the refinery could no doubt be expanded to meet the demand. Meanwhile in other parts of New Zealand efforts are being made to interest the Government in the development of oil shale deposits, and apparently with some success. It is true that at both Waikaia in Southland and at Orepuki shale deposits are in existence which show indicatjons of oil, and interested parties have quoted the Newnes shale field in Australia as a precedent for the giving of Government assistance in developing the fields. But the data at present available indicates a field of only 1,001,000 tons at Orepuki and about 75,000 tons at Waikaia compared with an immensely more "vast deposit at Newnes. Moreover the Australian shale is of high quality, yielding about 100 gallons of oil a lon compared with 40 gallons from Orepuki and Waikaia. An aclditional disadvantage in the New Zealand fields is that the crude oil from both Orepuki and Waikaia contains about 1.8 per cent. of sulphur whereas an efficient fuel oil should not contain more than .5 per cent. In spite of these disadvantages ths Minister of Mines, no doubt under pressure from Southland interests, has arranged for a drilling programme to be undertaken at Orepuki and Freshford, and geological worl. on the Cambrians and Nevis

deposits will be completed by Deccmber. Further laboratory work on the Orepuki shale is being carried out at Wellington, and samples have already been sent to Australia. This type of investigation; is all very well as normal exploratory work, but is it not simply trifling with the matter when i viewed from the potentiality of immediate useful production? On the I other hand the Moturoa field affords an immediate return for anyone willing to go to the expense of putting down a number of shallow wells. It is to be hoped that efforts to impress the position on the Minister of Mines will tontinue unceasingly until recognition is gained.