OIL BORING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 137, 13 June 1938, Page 9

OIL BORING.

EXPERTS ARRIVE.

MODERN METHODS.

USE OF SEISMOGRAPH.

LATEST EQUIPMENT,

\Miile the lowest depth to which any bore lias been drilled for the production o; petroleum oil iti lo.OOoft, that is not

the maximum depth wliieli can be reached with modern plant. This statement was made 011 board the Niagara this morning by Mr. Ilobart Ixi Mar, drilling superintendent, employed by the Vacuum Oil Company, who, with an engineer, Mr. C. I>. MacDonalJ, and a party of drillers, arrived this morning, they are to go to the Cleburne district, where preparations are being pushed rapidly ahead for the installation of plant that arrived a few days ago.

Questioned concerning the world's tupply of petroleum Mr. La Mar said that eeers had predicted long since that the work! s supplies were running out and that all the fields would soon be exhausted. That had not been proved and borets were being put down in new territory the world over. There might be a time when supplies would be exhausted, but that cay was far off. "Prophets who like the limelight are always making themselves heard, but when their predictions arc not realised they fade into the night," he said. '"There its no sign yet that netroleum supplies are being exhausted. As a matter of fact they have only just been tapped so far, and we are finding that, with scientific methods of exploration, including the use of the seismograph and modem drilling equipment more and more oil is being found. These new methods enable the oil prospectors to isolate 'dry' territories which tests show do not contain oil. Oil can be definitely located by scientific prospecting. Public Credulity. Referring to the Californian oil wells, Mr. La Mar spoke of the promoters who took up land and raised money 011 the credulity of the public. That sort of thing had disappeared with more stringent laws and oil production had become a legitimate business. "Many A bore has been put down in the past, the promoters taking a 'long chance' on its success," said Mr. La Mar. "When failure came they invariably told the shareholders that oil might have been struck, and that was all the satisfaction received bv those who had invested.'"

In giving details of drilling methods Mr. La Mar mentioned that modern equipment was so designed that it wars not necessary for the drills to go straight down from the surface. As the bor© developed the drills could he deflected in their course and made to take any direction. At Signal Hill in California there had been a classic example of this and litigation that followed had been most costly. Two drills of rival promoters had been put down on adjoining small sections and oil was eventually struck by one of the drills, but it was then found that the drill on the next section had been diverted to the successful drill's oil location, with the result that the pipe was cut through. As a result of that experience a law had been brought into operation which restricted any drill to the same boundaries below the ground as on top, thus preventing drillers from piereing the land beyond their surface limits. Seismograph's Use. Describing the use of the seismograph in petroleum exploration Mr. La Mar said that test holes were bored to certain depths in selected localities and large charges of dynamite, possibly 5001b in weight, were put down and "shot off." This naturally created an artificial disturbance in the nature of an earth tremor. The reverberations were recorded by the seismograph to ascertain the structure of the earth below. Th'-se reverl>erations were interpreted by the experts, and by them they were able to ascertain the depth at which sand existed. "Petroleum seldom comes from any other formation than sand," continued Mr. La Mar. "Of course, knowing that sand exists at. a certain depth does not necessarily mean that oil is ,\lso there. Our job is to drill down to the sand and find out whether it contains oil or water. The seismograph cam cannot tell us that."

"The company T am associated with is going into the Xew Zealand business in an enthusiastic manner." said Mr. La Mar. when questioned concerning his future operations in Xew Zealand. "We have the latest equipment, capable of penetrating to vast depths, and technical and experienced men —all veterans in their line—have been engaged. If oil in commercial quantities exists in the territories that have been taken up. there is no question it will be found." Accompanying Mr. La Mar is an engineer, Mr. C. T\ Mac Donald. and three drillers. Messrs. Robert Kuss. George J. Baker and S. Dykes. M r . La Mar has played an important part in international oil investigations in t/he last 15 years. The party was assembled at Beirut, in Syria, where their plans were interfered with owing to a political liitcli. Mr. La Mar was for four years in Trinidad where he drilled wells to a depth of 9000 ft. From there lie went to Asia.