NATURAL GAS & OIL

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2114, 3 April 1914, Page 7

NATURAL GAS & OIL

IN POVERTY BAY, IMPORTANT POSSIBILITIES. GEOLOGICAL REPORT. Some uitcmting facts reliiljyß to tlH> gas and oil deposits iii tho Gis-WHD-Enst Capo d'i'Stri.tvt aI'O tv.nboiiicd in. a- l'cpoTl; which lias I>oeit presented to the .Hoi!. AV. 'Frasc?r r'il'i : nistM - 0.1 iliases) by Mr. p, G. Msrgab (Uireetor ef Gcaiogicat Sjii'TOj-). _ Tiio roj'.'ir! is a- preliminary cr.o Rivinj Mr. Xtoi-gan's Rfriieral iinjiressioiis aiut sonio of the niflro ii'nportaitt data <Jl>* tauied iltiriivg it tout' <Sf tiie district. Which lie miiiifi in January last, ills co'ndns;<i}i.s in tlio uniin ai'-o teidativo, ij»t attllp sanio tinio ho rs of opinion tjh'rtt- a vijpvrwis piflspeetittg policy i.s jiijiiilind, and sonv.o imparfiuit possiliilit'ks of successful bnriiij; are iftttiftateil. After towejiiivg Itrieiiy upon previous ficslegieal _s.iii-ve.va n-f the Giste-neJilaet Cape district, and dostr.ibiug some of its } general geologieiil features, Mr. Moiigaji | uoe.s on to stiits that tlio iiumdrous ihdiwjtieiis of oil ir. the district may bo classiftcd as, nifEeral springs, gas spriiigs,. oil seepagos, deposits of ojolfofi'te or alM.ea liumsai <mu njstgircticr- disluriKiiiocs. Outbursts df Gar. After lac-rstinniiig in detail a number of I'iie springs which esist i.u t'liß district lis vemarta 'tl'int all Hie salt sprit)ja are accoJnpMiie<.l bv move or less Inßaiitiiia.blo ■gas. "At VVaiinato fiutbursts *f gas, Ji| ud, and salt water saecasittiia?!)' fca-lfe piaco o.n a largo stale, the last erupticn being: <>n July 25, 3'9.1)5, Kcarly all tlio bows drilled in seareii of oil Shave C3ii:;ii'!e<l gas in some fiiiantity. Variwis tees lnade in search of artesian, water .near Gisl.wno hove Striyek gas. In one casfi at Makataka, tito gtts ob.taiMod i fras utilised for heating and lighting iu a dvellsHg-houSG for same 'years, its • . Iseing disccnliimwl owing to some chemical actisn e«'roding t'lio nine?. Heeenl'lv a shallow "bore 011 Mi*. J." C, -Bield's, jii:pr; perty, ,1 lew infles froni <3isboivie s eiicoiinteted the lightens .of .which, l'.fe- ■ sutM ill an explosion. Tl.e iinwarv bv-. staiidovs received a foiisidrnbk slioeit,' and sits tai ml various' in juries. A iiitie . south-i'aSt of Patatar.i , township largo ■ quantities of gii-s i-i.ro said to liavf been ■ Struck i» an artesian liore. Tiio iiaWrii ■ gas fef the Gisbisnie district appears ti>: Mirtaift ole'ini-s hi email qiiantity, since. it biifiis with a. distinct: yellowish or. .veilosvisli-red border, which is not i whoily (ttaugli perhaps partly) due !•) . the presence of. sodium,. 11l some cases ;, | Siilphme'.ted iiytiro.cefi "is prcsev.t, for exaiß.ple at. Koio-o-ialii. T.iin corrosion of iron pipes at ilafcrraka indicates. Hi(? pre-., scucp of objncsionablj! impurities in. that locality. At Te Piiia a, .gas 'Used ..for cock- i in? and iigiit in-j in the accommodation '■ taiise appears to i'e nearly freo from ; lulrsgeu. carljofi ■dioxidSi or other dibit. ; iii}; iid.jrarih-, for it burns with a very hot flame, . ■ •. i. Oil Seepages,. "Several distinct oi! seepages or springs ■ arc known in the Gisiyoiiie-East. Oijmj dis-:. triut. The most important of these is a sorics Of Seepages iat AVaitangi Hili, lv'iicli liar? Ixati fully described lit N.Z.G.S. Bui'ieHii No. 9 (pp. flff-ijOK A, sseoijd oil Spring known % DoWjie's, To-': taii-gr,- o,it*;.pj.i-ng- '-boeurf! i'ii- • fho fOiaiig'i Valley., IViigi-lijtiiga Block (Waik'olHl S,D.'), about 1(1 niilos as tlio. c-row flies west-iHirth-ivi'st from Gisborne,", Oil seepa-g-Ks liavo beeii foui:<t iii other places and in so.r.e locn.Mties ozokerite (miiiwai wa.\) .has been 'found. ■ In 0110 sjiat tho roagiinUe needle is d'eiiocted inucii ■ and. irregularly iro)a its asiiiyl .'pos.i-'iiijßiiik l an oeo'nrrenie wlu'cls inny ixi's'silily be iinpnrtiiut as eii imtication. Of pc-ticleiiiii.

Past O'l Boring. After describing in so.ffi.fc deteil xtagfc #fl-» taring? oiiomtior.s in tho. district, Jl.r, ■ Morgan States liiat neftviy ev.wy bore ; that,, has (T.rSikftl■^is'tKarilc- ■ .Bast; Caps district in. search -of oil *>ai : countered natural gas in 'soi'irc quantity, anil not a few • found traces of oili, "If th« doubtful blowout of <xil aild gas. At tho. Scuth Pacific Ka. t bore jii I'SSJ? bo. excepted; tlio only di'qided ilov* of oii was that struck at a. dfip'th tjt.BSiJii. ill. .11(6 Sishnrno Oil bora on Woitanfi Hill in 1909. It is. perhaps worth 110 tin.? that this is'the bnly site selected" as ftio lesull of geological survey fit which a lias been made. Tiio chief result .obiaiiied. % !i>o bores hitherto drilled .is. a knewiedgc of the difficulties to bo cncotiiitoued. Of these tho fchifef arii soft caving ground and gas presntrc. It is evident that the very best drilling .plant aild drillers ruust be employed, that t-lio easing u.sc.d must lio catrehiefe strong, and that holes of large initial diameter <fxcej!t: in the. case of prospecting bores) Afe DeieSsary.. jxpfcrieiicted.; ilrijltris consider that tb.e best typo ■of'ftnrimf plant is a rotary drill. This has been, to some extent confirmed by (lit* experience of 'be Now Zealnud Oilfields at Wjiiiiirere, where, however, the pump valves were nui<U!v destroyed by ths. filic- but sharp ■grit; that forms- part of _ the beds drilled below a depth, of JOSOft. This weaving of tlio pump valves was, indeed, tlio difficulty that prevented a luv.eii greater ■depth than 13:51 ft. from heiiig attained. Tire- rotary system,-. in common with other husti ijritliiiff .liiethotfej half the fjirtlier disadvantage that »ni strata may be passed without being dcteeied, owing' to the lirepsitfe 6f the Eirftu'fatiflg water iind luud pravehMiig oil (if not under greater pressiirdj from entering the bore. Tho eccentric percussion, drill now being siwee-sftilly used hv several • roijipaiiies in 't'iuwnalri pr<;£ehts liio aJlvfcn(age that tlio eaMug may bp. kept close to the bottom of tho hole all the time, and deserves a trial in the Gislxirno district.

Methods Discussed. "In this past piany mistakes 'liav'o Ixicji wade by tJios.e engaged in iiio search of oil. Some of thesb were almost unavoidable, imd coulii. lw certainly perceived only aiiic'r tire eveiit-. Others <ii;ain could hivvo been avoided by the exercise 01' ordinary conmuru sense. 'Kh? enthusiasm ! that actuates tlte pioneers of : it new industry is iwt always combined v/ith prudence , imil foresight. Heitce drl.se spelt Mistiil;cs us siartiiiß 0(1 prospecting ivitii iiiHiifiicieiit capital or 5. poor drill}Hg pliiiitj ijijioriiig previous experience, and r.eglnctiup: tfotrtiiecl geological .survoj as a towing «i locaiiii!! hope Sites and oh , fatui.ng gene.ru! information. Erom first to last ft very large o.apitai. Stlfti .has Ix'-eii dissipated ia connection with the search for oil iti tiic (.jisbunte-Eas!: Capo district. 11l most case;-, So fee .as ciin bo learned, the greater p.irt of the money has been ; spent if net. iihviVys Wisely, yet in aehial boring operations, ; Oil Prospects. ''Until n (icfailbit gdologiftfl sntfey of the iv'l.t.aio area has been matte, *Miy -bjnjr iou eaiieerftmjr tto of) prospeef.s ;<j'JT the Ui-iikitiie-lvts!. Cape dislrjet must be tentative, Sir Jiiiiies Hector find Mr, Ales-, -M'Kkv, ijet'l) reftainect ifr.ptu expressing' 1 any definite. vitfWs concerning oil possibili- ; tiis. ?MfcsaMf Sanies I'jitlc, . in J8S8) slated thiity in Ms o.pinip'ii, ertl wolikt not | be loun'el at i.'li-e places ivii'O.re \yotl ; iifU Was j then b®i#g eonduiHed, thmrglVvfip'it.honglit 1 j that, fuilher exploration mißlit: discover j toeuttUi's n-.li.epe, the jjooloiri-eai venditions ; vvro mom favourable. Dr. ,f. M. Boil, in ISKISj was favourably disposed towards biuinj .ftu iV'Aitftngf fill, nml in. llilO ,T. M. Adaijis, after niaking a fieMled survey, of ijilo }Vl,!;ilatirtti 'siib-divisidii, *rcam mended 't-hl'fo. sites-for bore-holes, of ] ivWnh Waitaiis'i ITIH vfts oise. ;C)'n the:; whole., it: li-iav hp Said flint tho ■KPolOE.i.stS' ■who Ifflve examined the Poverty Bay d.Httlel hav« either refrained fi'oin PsjU'e'ss*' ini! Any decided opinion hi favour of (lie preset!® of oil in iarjjp qitiintit y, or h.avo vlone sa in Kiinrdiri! wni.ssi. Hiitil ai ijei. teilail mij vej- : .->f a linieii i&ri.j!r: itW. tilaii tho Wiia'tqtutft ■s.i , . has Ije.eii iiuwt# if: woirlil lib. fci'jy' fd.\gh:Q ■ a delinite opinion tlie oil poieiiiiiiliiii'." of iiie di?(Tie!, tor liii- ni-;n|. ■ivble daivi M'i> quite r.iis:uflbftii?.jvt ■ id jnstiiy ■. a doeideil s!al?.ineiit Aije. way o ; p Mie/ o'.i»:r. ' _ Vigorous ProspcctiiK) Juslifiod. WJtft re|.ai:sl to , (;h,i» ftilvtpabiJiij" of. fii.rHtei 1 pFasijSwisig for oil ft 4ettuito jiia'tciiiOnt may lje made. The numerous minsral springs, ftas cstajjds, ami ofl seejiiigps, ix-JgeUiei' w:lh the generally fhvouiflb)« nature of thfi geo'lß|i.cii ; l .eiij.dlliniis, : justify a vfeovous policy, proVj'lfl JIiVS 'hi-'- |r- "M -MMk 4*A inl S'Mf. i||l 4 seaiy .ift pav ompj;n, »na[9 fa

xeiy little.. So'XflJly. MftJosj. Jt was the ■SouiJierji Gross t'cteotetifn Co.'s No'; bote (\viiigh i.s said to lijyvn broil rtbaiidc!h-V'' eii 'lviici.i the pfiispeots n'(iri> good. rJiit3; teen' drilled nearly <l« s nj» oMugii.; Untilpayable ftfl has actually .'lx-en struckfcvery bor» miri: lid rcprirtlorl merely aS?a^''. tria-L Fast experiejiee seems to rMul'j.r, ". it advisable, in selfiei-fng fuiuro liori' ki(oV. ■to avoid iht! Known ofi seepage's Mid nsin- >' ra! springs, .inqs'.t of which svi-o probably. • on Of nciir JauHs. • Bio large amount of .. fias present fti tli.e strata, makes it r.o£ improbable that tlifi main oil pools, in : some tn.--<!s fif. Jci'.si, lire on tho (jtopor-iy .rallier than the r:n>ls of anticlines. ■■■•ffr.",Natural Gas Abundant. ''Whatever the. oil prospects may -feW -tho juiiive.iip.us gfis .escapes- iiirt-liO tfi.'ally certain thajt the .<3iyjoi:ri6tliiis£*~'f C-lUie district is :ibi;ji<lantly supplied with . gaseous i'ue.l. It is Sniiie\r]t:ti Hint inor:> use .of t.l.ip Jcaow.n .cacape^'.f.or.' > Ilfiii-Uiig aiid. lighting purposes has Jiot br-on in,nip, nml tl'.nt not « single boro has : 'wan drilled, in search of gas.. It.would. "• !>f well wort h while to teiiji f'h.c; Gisborne Flats for Jinhfi-M gas, ii'iid* i-u diiiiig so,:, there is a .possibility that oil initrht-btf '■ struck. . : ' Mineral Waters. . "Soiiie ef :ilip mineral springs, mors ■especially tiio=<; ctortwiiiinjj iodine or' sulphuretted hydrogen. have medicinal •value. I" tills rps.puEt To Puis hot saline springs, •. rich in ibdi.np, -are .lire-eiiyirfiiut '■ ihey''; .:■ nro of livrge .sjze, aro sitiiaied in aix.titc.-v Vivted position, an,! will in time doublings'..: Boedine..u. tastl'tli aiid picasiire i'e.spil. *f hoi/ Only other springs in' Js'.ow jfoajtaiitfejcpiji;: "if pariiblo wil.li To.Piiia arc those of Jiloretf :' and the Great Barrier Island, , Water Supply. "In most: parts of the Gisbo/niKEasi ciisl-i'i'ct potabks iv.iilct Vsciii cQ -.' f: during cftg. hot drr'siiiuitiet' feiKoiiy -There ?.■ are few plnees .watcf' is v . 'ihoiy to bo obtair.e<! ( ihereforo,. for town siipjilies the chief liopss lie'i iii'l-lift conservaunp of the water of j-nilablo ffrcaws ).)}' rnoims of reservoh's. Wja.vo isolated rouii'.ry liouses. liave. to plied, or jc-k uv.ajeiied, n earef.iil'searciy » f i' springs niay bo rei-.iiiimemied. Ih e r.;: iiiany places .1 liiv.iled supply &f: wafervy ■nitty bo flbtainert .fro.in. or pares. Un tlu? (jisljorrie a niocicra-lo;.; ': ciivuiiiit of wate irtay bo olTta/ineil by ljuiv .. 1 lug-, liiit, .qs . iilrondi- . tneniioned, I ; tiis ; i : ■Mackisji. and . im(:!. for domestic use." though: cattJr- will ihitrk if." .

Some Recommendations. "S'ittco tlio- IHjsiJiilit'ips Qi" oil, iipftr Y boriio art* [ircbiifilr groitl, <ts' 'iti Wlm-'.' tatji'tu or. iu' Alio WSHajm disirid, H do-'. tnilwt.jioolpcfMl san-ov- £f tlj.o .-iirvpy <hV tei'cts M "tt aimaio, AVh'inisiira,' i'iiU:tohi, iin.il lii.liy lie rrjiaril-'. • <*1 as it jii'eßsfiljf i p.'iuii <'mo;;t' at. Dip present lim.t;.- 'i be .wrfvoy of (ho W.halatutti. stib-clfvis.ioii, iiiiidp tso'vQi:.g ; l yonits ;i tHiirrs somp. revision, ov. inK I<j (hp. mincelfUs (.chnUiy) «r.o ilie p.robablo. 2 soured o;f ~th.o;r,iibii having • been separated from the mioceiip rpiksl: 1 tho <'<,m]>ii!iion ■of -iho.prolibsciVisixi'i■'■*■' *w'itf>af@yßQrii£Ht''iVilF be wEti'sabip/tpi extend (Mailed work norlinvard. Ifoin'the' ' What.-,tut" sylHliVislon uwarrfs Waiapit and _ K«st :(iapq. Sot until (lie .gettetatK] :of (nitric), liar! barn i!!,isler-. ■ qd, fan boring areas"foe recommended \yiih>U' <vn,Y. yoyfic'ciicij. J, Sinro rretapoous vo'ckj are almost oiminly tlio soVii'cb of the oil, . and. 'arc more. lik(:!y to contain pools .of petroleum than tlio. ovferiyins inToccij#' ' khtffo,: jspopia'l attention. lmist i' 6 paid to thfT.i. Their; structure;. owinjj to inns!;-' intf-by the. probably unconformable- min-.. cane. rocks, .will lk'.,d;(Bpu!t to unravel, and without donl'l numerous trial bores.. must I.k>" made'" before sufficient iufonnnlion for.tilo'' qi drli'lc!.rs y requirements can" be (•ollee'ted. Ji-Sif. ,

■ .''Tlierffi.^^ Mr. : .jilor>; -gap "ivlioro imbinil $4* eoiild ■bo tit.i:lisoj;l .fbj -Ji-en.tTiig-, ligh'ffiig-,- -.jimr power purposes. : Xot-.imjiroljiiljly borinir far gas .011 .'tlio- Gislioriie J''lats \vou!d bo ottended by sueeess."