SEARCH FOR OIL.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19715, 4 September 1929, Page 10

SEARCH FOR OIL.

ANOTHER BORE IN TARANAKI. [THE PRESS Special Serviea.] AUCKLAND, September 3. Details of a determined effort to find oil in New Zealand were given by Mr A. E. Thomas, general manager of Goal Oil (New Zealand), Limited, who arrived at Auckland from Sydney by the Ulimaroa. Mr Thomas emphasised the fact that the striking of oil would be of great importance to Australia and New Zealand, and expressed confidence that the scientific research methods adopted by his firm would lead to the dis overy of oil in marketable quantities. "Australia and New Zealand spend appro timately £14,000,000 a year in importing oil," Mr Thomas said. "The development of oilfields is therefore a national concern of vital importance to tl*e two countries." The search for oil in New Zealand had been carried out previously on geo logical reports. However, his company bad conducted geophysic research, making what was tantamount to an X-ray of the earth. The investigations had been carried out over two years, and as a result, boring operations would shortly be commenced at Omata, near New Plymouth.

"Our field geologist and adviser, Dr. Leon Bossard, has reported that there is oi] in commercial quantities on the Omata field," Mr Thomas continued. "The oil seems to be concentrated in several independent layers of porous sandstone separated by impervious mudstone. It is likely that there will be repeated success in the same bore, and this is a point greatly in favour of the prospects of the field." A boring expert had been brought from America to control the operations, and he would have the service of other expert drillers. The company had based its conclusions on the latest scientific methods, and was confident of success. Coal interests iu the Paparoa ranges near Westport, were a'so held by the eompanv, said Mr Thomas. It was estimated that there were 15,000,000 tons of coal in the field. A further field at Mount Arthur, near Dannevirke, was owned by the company, and its possibilities were at present being investigated, I