OIL RESOURCES OF EMPIRE

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27564, 22 January 1955, Page 7

OIL RESOURCES OF EMPIRE

OPENING OF NEW REFINERIES LONDON, January 21. Discussing the recent growth of oil development in the Commonwealth, the “Financial Times" said that the expansion ot oil refining had reached a stage where the Commonwealth had a total capacity ot' about 77,000,000 tons of crude oil a year, roughly equivalent to the area’s annual consumption of all oil products, including ships’ bunkers. . “Britain’s new refineries all came into operation before the end of 1953, but last year several important plants came on stream in other Commonwealth countries.

“Among these was the Aden refinery of 5,000,000 tons capacity and two smaller plants at Bombay and Geelong. “Canadian capacity has also further expanded and is now slightly in excess of Britain’s total of 28,500,000 tons annually. “By the year’s end another Bombay ana three more Australian refineries will be on stream. , “With these and other new plants total Commonwealth refining capacity is «£P ected to re »ch a level of about 90,000,000 tons annually by the end of the year. “White production of crude oil in the Commonwealth is still sufficient for only a small proportion of total needs, there was a further increase last year—to 21,500,000 tons—which was in t 1946 n fOUF and fiVe times 1116 ou t Put

“Canada is still the leading producer with 12,500,000 tons, followed by British Borneo, 5,000,000 tons, and Trinidad, 3,500,000 tona.”

. Uranium Ore in Tasmania.—Torbernite ore, which contains uranium, has been discovered in Tasmania. Announcing the discovery, the State Mines Minister (Mr Reece) said that he could not yet reveal where the ore nas been found.—Hobart, January 21.