SEARCH FOR OIL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 182, 4 August 1939, Page 8

SEARCH FOR OIL.

NEW GUINEA PLANS.

PLACE OF AERIAL SURVEY.

BOULDER DAM SIDELIGHTS.

On his way to supervise an aerial survey of New Guinea at present being undertaken to assist in the search for oil, Mr. Leon T. Eliel arrived by the Monterey to-day. Mr. Eliel is vicepresident of Fairchild Aerial Surveys (Inc.), Los Angeles. He explained that in the course of the survey every inch of a certain area would be photographed. Those pictures would show the topography of the country in relief, and from the information thus given the investigators would know- which area was worthy of more detailed attention. His company, he explained, which was working at the direction of big oil interests, would be operating in New Guinea probably until the end of the year. The headquarters were at Port Moresby. Aerial surveys were useful in many fields, he said. His company had done a good deal of mapping. It surveyed areas of timber, while it had also made an examination of the reservoir behind the mighty Boulder Dam in Colorado. Explaining the last-mentioned work, he said that the idea had been to discover the rate at which the reservoir

was silting up. The survey had been made before the reservoir was filled. From detailed contour lines the survey had shown how deep the reservoir was at certain points. Now that the reservoir was tilled, depth sounding lines were used. The difference between the two measurements recorded at interval* showed the silting rate. ' When that silt was chemically analysed, the scientist would know from what area it came. Then soil erosion preventive measures could he taken. Actually, lie said, expert opinion differed in America as to how long the dam would he efficacious. Some set the term at 60 year.-, and others, at 120 years, exactly twice as long. The great sum of one billion dollars had been invested, in the dam project, so that it was important to know over how long the capital expenditure would have to be spread. $ In a different way consirlcr.il/le useful I information could be sheii the timber- : man. From an aerial survey he could he told aceuratelv what area would be economic to mill, for he could learn details as to den.-ity of jrrowtbj or i whether a lire had been ;':r.rijh. All the information was obviouslv of the givalvft value. ! _ Mr. Kliel proposes to continue on to j England and the Continent when he has 1 finished his work in New Guinea. Many oil interests iiad their headquarters there, he said, and it was necessary for him to consult them.