OIL PRODUCTION

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 27, 31 July 1940, Page 9

OIL PRODUCTION

NEARLY 3,000,000 GALLONS

The production of crude petroleum oil in New Zealand amounted to 2,988,081 gallons up to the end of 1939, the Mines Statement, which has been presented to Parliament, states. Production last year was 103,631 gallons in Taranaki and 800 gallons from the West Coast of the South Island. "Since the passing of the Petroleum Act in 1937 a thorough and intensive search for oil in the Dominion has i been prosecuted," the report states. ','ln I contrast with previous attempts, the work now being undertaken is being carried out with the most modern equipment which is being operated by expert and scientifically trained staffs. Altogether 65 licences to prospect for oil have been granted over an aggrej gate area of 11,500 square miles in the North Auckland, Gisborne, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, West Coast (South Island), and Otago districts. "Two modern drilling-plants are at present in the Dominion, one capable of boring, to. 10,000 ft and the other to a depth of 15,000 ft. One hole at Totangi, near Gisborne, was drilled to a depth of 5700 ft, but because of unfavourable conditions had to be abandoned. The plant was then shifted to Morere, where the drilling of a second hole was commenced. Two holes were drilled in the North Auckland district, the depths being 837 ft and 1461 ft respectively. Plans were well advanced towards the end of the year for drilling a hole at Midhirst, in the Taranaki district. . . "Apart from drilling, intensive geophysical and geological investigations, topographical surveys, and palaeontological examinations have been made, and large areas have been geologically mapped by licensees. Altogether 132 persons were employed, consisting mainly of technical staff."