New Drilling At Maui

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32306, 26 May 1970, Page 26

New Drilling At Maui

(N.Z. Press Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH, May 25.

Core drilling of the seabed in the Maui oil structure is to be undertaken by Shell BP and Todd Oil Services, Ltd.

The company’s assistant operations manager, Mr J. G. Brown, said in New Plymouth today that the work was part of feasibility studies for the development of the field, and was a broad approach to establishing the economics of the structure.

A truck-mounted drilling rig was lifted on to the tender vessel Canadian Tide at New Plymouth today in preparation for the work. Drilling will be done through a special hole in the deck of the ship, known as a moonpool. This was installed when the ship underwent her annual survey a few weeks ago.

Mr Brown said special anchoring points had also been fitted to the Canadian Tide, because it would be necessary for the ship to be moored in much the same way as any other offshore drilling ship. At least two bow anchors and two stern anchors would be used.

The drilling will be done under contract by a Hamilton company. Mr Brown said it was not known how long the work would take. “We are very much at the

mercy of the weather, and that will be the determining factor,” he said. The drilling will take place in depths of about 300 ft The Maui-4 well had reached a depth of 6800 ft and drilling was continuing, the consortium said today. Earlier, a string of 9 5/Bin casing was cemented at 5968 ft

The New Zealand Press Association reported that the consortium’s last successful well, Maui-3, encountered gas and consensate from 9000 ft.