Cook I Well In Final Stages

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32396, 8 September 1970, Page 24

Cook I Well In Final Stages

(New Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, September 7. The unsuccessful Cook No. 1 oil well, 16 miles off Cape Farewell, was now in its final stages, the operations manager for Shell-BP-Todd Oil Services, Ltd, (Mr T. H. Albers) said in New Plymouth today.

New Zealand Aquitaine Petroleum, Ltd, confirmed yesterday that the well had proved dry.

The consortium is the operator of the Sedco 135 F semi-submersible rig for other petroleum explorers.

Mr Albers said the long tow of the rig round the top of the North Island to the site of the Endeavour 1 well off Oamaru, would begin in the next day or so.

The rig will be towed by the Dutch tug Willem Barendsz and the oil rig tender vessel Canadian Tide. The second rig tender Min Tide, will make supply runs to the tow convoy. The tow is expected to take 30 to 35 days. Mr Albers said that during the drilling of Endeavour 1 service vessels for the Sedco rig would be based at Oamaru. Buoy Missing An 88000 transmitter buoy is missing from the Sedco rig and the consortium wants to find it urgently. It is thought that the buoy was lost yesterday morning at the site of the Cook 1 well. It will probably come ashore between Cape Farewell and Kahurangi Point. The stainless steel buoy weighs about 2001 b and is painted bright red. It bears the words “Shell, BP and Todd.” It is spherical in shape and about 3 feet in diameter, with a 7ft aerial.

About 550 feet of wire is probably hanging underneath the buoy, which is used for measuring the height of waves.

The consortium will pay a reward for its recovery.