BORING FOR OIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 91, 18 April 1929, Page 16

BORING FOR OIL.

WATER SEEPAGE PROBLEM

A GISBORNE SUCCESS

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

An operation which may have an important bearing on future prospecting for oil in New Zealand has been carried out at Gisborne No. 2 bore of Taranaki Oilfields, Ltd., at Mangaone, the water seepages in the bore navlng been successfully shut off.

The intimation of the success of this operation is contained in a brief report issued by the company last week, but it is only after conversation with Mr. C. N. Taylor, the company's manager, that the full importance of the work is realised. At Gisborne No. 2, as at Moturoa, New Plymouth and other oil wells, the undertaking has been handicapped and in some cases suspended on account of water seepages. It was decided to attempt at Mang-a-one what ie termed water shut-off, although such operation is of a highly technical nature and usually only carried out by specialists with expensive machinery such as does not exist in New Zealand. The work, however, was carried out successfully by the company's staff. The object of the operations was to force cement down the casing to the bottom and up on the outside, thus forming an impervious lining to the bore. About five tons of cement were pumped into the casing, filling a length of 230 ft. It is understood there is a possibility of a similar operation being carried out at Moturoa No. 3 well, which was abandoned twme vcars ajo owing to water seepages making a continuation of drilling inrpracticalile, but which is considered to be one of the most promising in the Dominion.