CHERTSEY OIL WELLS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9543, 23 June 1921, Page 4

CHERTSEY OIL WELLS.

BORING NOW IN OPERATION

The manager of the CanterburyPetroleum Prospecting Company, Ltd. (Mr A. Joyce) stated to-day that boring operations will shortly be resumed at the company's well at Chertsey. The company has had a very badtime during the last 18 months, having . been employed for the greater part of that time m cutting up a sand pump which, owing to the breakage of a wire rope, was left m the well. Attempts were made to recover the pump, but were unsuccessful, ahd on June 10 last year the work of cutting the pump up with the drill was commenced

Progress has been very slow, sometimes not more than an inch a day* However, patience prevailed, and on ( May 23 the drill conquered, and the* last of the pump was cut up. Since then the well has been cleared to the bottom of the 4in casing (2132 ft), and sinking will be resumed with 2iia casing. ..*.*.■ It has been a long, weary job, but the indications m the well are too good to allow the work to be abandoned, more especially as the bottom of the well appears to be definitely through, the shingle deposits, which continuedl to over 1800 ft. The strata at the bottom of* the well (2170 ft) was claystone, or papa, with good indications of oil and gas. It is intended to obtain sufficient 2jin casing to carry, the well to 2300 or perhaps 2500 ft. The enterprise is a most important one for the whole district, and should it be successful will open up a vast industry.