Report On Otago Shale To Be Obtained In U.S.

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28435, 15 November 1957, Page 14

Report On Otago Shale To Be Obtained In U.S.

(New Zealand Press. Association)

DUNEDIN, November 14,

Samples of oil shale from deposits in the Nevis district, about 25 miles from Cromwell, Central Otago, are to be sent to the United States for chemical analysis ami a report on the possibility of economically retorting the deposits for oil. The director of the Otago Development Council (Mr J. M. Elliolte) said today that the shale would be sent by the council to the Union Oil Company in California, which operated a large shale retort. The company had evolved a new process which might be applicable to the Otago shales, of which there was estimated to be 2,000,000,()()() tons in the Nevis rlrnnsils;

I Recently a letter was sent to . the American company describing the Nevis deposits and seeking advice on what could be done with the shale in the light of the American company’s activities and advances in refining technique.

Mr Elliotte said that the Nevis deposits were the largest and richest in the Dominion, and the Otago Development Council felt that no possible chance should be lost if anything could be done about them. The shale gave about 13 gallons of oil to the ton. This was not really rich by world standards. but the assessed quantity of oil locked up in the shale was sufficient to keep the country going on present oil consumption rates for about 400 years.

Mr Fred L. Hartley, a vicepresident of the American company, had written to say that as his company had made such tremendous progress in retortin.; shale it felt that it might be able to help in evaluating the New Zealand deposits.

Mr Hartley said he was sure that his company’s techniques

would be applicable, but to have some understanding of whether New Zealand oil shale could be retorted by the American process a test programme would naturally be required. After experiments, he felt, his company would be in a position to give advice about possible help.