OIL FROM SHALE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1940, Page 7

OIL FROM SHALE

INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS. OREPUKI AND CENTRAL OTAGO DEPOSITS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH. July 19. The Government is planning to carry out a thorough investigation of the shale oil deposits at Orepuki (Southland) and in Central Otago, and it appears that important development may follow surveys being made. Details of the work being undertaken at Orepuki and of their possible value, and of plans to investigate the big Central Otago deposits, were given today by the Minister of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr McMillan. "Briefly, the position about shale oil is this," said Dr McMillan. "There are two deposits of shale in New Zealand; one is at Orepuki, where the shale is -rich in oil. but offers some difficulties in mining, and there is another huge deposit, far bigger than at Orepuki, in Central Otago, which it seems could be quarried by the openface method of mining.

The Geological Department has had an officer at Orcpuki for some time, and though the production of benzine from that deposit would not be very great there is no doubt that many of lire byproducts would be extremely valuable. For instance, the content of parall'in wax in the Orcpuki shale oil is quite high, and parall'in wax has many important uses, one being in the waxing of cheese-cloth. Some of the other byproducts, it appears, would be equally useful. As soon as the investigation and survey at Orcpuki has been finished it is intended to survey the other area in Central Otago. Once the survey: have been completed we shall be able to say what will be done to develop the areas.’’

Asked about the usefulness of the plant already established at Orcpuki, Dr McMillan said the plant there was unsuitable for the extraction of oil from the shale. It was already being broken up and sold as scrap metal.