AUSTRALIAN OIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 January 1943, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN OIL

POSSIBILITIES OF SHALE FIELDS INVESTIGATION BY EXPERTS. MISSION FROM AMERICA. A mission from the United States Board of Economic Warfare has made preliminary investigation of shale oil fields at Glen Davis and other places in Australia. The members of the mission are: Messrs V. V. Jacomini (petroleum technologist), H. S. Bell (petroleum engineer), and H. F. Hebley (specialist in mechanised mining). In Sydney they met the Minister for Supply and Shipping, Mr Beasley, who later made the following statement: — “These gentlemen have come to Australia under arrangements made between the United States and Commonwealth Governments to investigate the possibilities of large-scale development of the Glen Davis and contiguous oil shale fields. PLAN OF OPERATION. “The idea is that, these fields can make an important contribution to Australia’s requirements of liquid fuels within a reasonable time, thus reducing the strain on tanker shortage, the United States Government would be prepared to co-operate with the Commonwealth Government by providing certain plant and equipment and technical assistance for their development. “The shale fields have been visited and preliminary investigations concluded. The United States representatives are now engaged in the consideration of a detailed plan of operation, and they have expressed to me their early views which are favourable toward more extensive development. Their report, which will be made to both Governments, will be awaited with interest.” PLANT & EQUIPMENT. It is understood that if the mission’s report to the United States Government is favourable, plant and equipment and technical assistance foi the developments will be provided by America. It is also expected that the oil shale at Baerami will be exploited and that a central organisation for industrial management of production will be established. Attempts to find flow- oil will be carried further by the request of an American company, which Mr Beasley had previously said would be granted facilities to search for oil in Australia. Mr Jacomini visited Australia in 1937 to make a report on the Latrobe oil shale deposits in Tasmania, and in 1938 concluded in Sydney negotiations between American and Australian interests for developments associated with the Baerami field.