TARANAKI OIL BORING

Grey River Argus, 21 May 1941, Page 5

TARANAKI OIL BORING

Good Progress HON. P. C. WEBB’S HOPES. NEW PLYMOUTH, May 20. Satisffa’ction with the progress made in the oil drilling operations at Midhurst was expressed by the Minister of Mines (Hon. P. C. Webb?, when he visited the bore with Mr W. Holmes, Past President of the Trades Union Congress of Great Britain.

He said: “The plant is operating in hard strata of grey shale. That restricts the boring to about one foot per hour. The bore, however, has.», reached a depth of 6,815 feet, and it should not be long in tapping gravel that may or may not contain oil.” Mr Webb added: “There is definitely no reason for pessimism and “J the fact that they are getting so deep in the strata that should be a good cap is encouraging. My own optimism has never been shaken, and I am confident that, if oil exists, this plant and the men in charge of it will find ; it. And, geologically speaking, ■ the indications are not unfavourable. Though the strata at present being encountered is hard, the drillers have encountered harder in other parts of the world—some so hard that it has only been possible to drill four to five inches an hour in order to reach gravel that contained oil. Whether such gravel will be reached at Midhirst, only the drill can tell, but the Government is pleased at the serious and painstaking effort that is being made by the company.”