TERRIFIC BLOWOUT AT BLENHEIM BORE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6849, 2 March 1929, Page 9

TERRIFIC BLOWOUT AT BLENHEIM BORE

OIL FOUNTAINS 20 FEET.

Per Press Association. NEW PLYMOUTH, Last Night. A terrific blowout occurred at the Blenheim oil bore this afternoon, oily mud being forced to a great Height by the strong pressure of gas. The derrick was flooded with oil and mud and the locality to leeward was drenched for several chains.

Residents in district and largo numbers of visitoir3 to H.M.S. Dunedin at tho wharves, were startled by the roar of the gas that accompanied the blowout and mud, small stones and debris falling on the roofs of bouses several chains away, gave the impression that a heavy downpour of rain had commenced.

For about an hour and a half, the company says, oil had been flowing from the bore while the bailing plunger was being worked, the oil sometimes spurting to a height of 20 feet. The blowout had been anticipated fol several days. For a period, excitement reigned in the locality. Heralded by an ominous roar, pungont-smelling liquid gushed up inside the derrick, forcing its way out through every opening and leaping to a great height about tho derrick. The breeze carried tho greasy outflow across several sections. The seven inch casing, 2047 feet of it weighing about 16 tons, was lifted about sixteen feet from the bore and tbe pipe connecting the bore with the oil reservoirs was blown away at the coupling. Gradually, the blowout exhausted its violence and subsided to quietness, officials of the company stating that the bore was then filled with greasy mud. The casing slowly sank baek.Mto place. The bottom of tbe seven *nch casing is at a lovel of 2047 feet, where the company states, there is a large quantity of debris loosened by the previous blast. That blast, it considered opened up additional reservoirs of oil and gas.

Anglo-American and Russion Oil EQUAL SHARES ON BRITISH MARKET. United Press Association —By Eleetrie Telograph—Copyright. Received Friday 8.40 p.m. MOSCOW, March 1.

A three y»ars’ agessinenfc, between the Anglo-American oil combine and the Russion oil products control has been signed, giving Russian oil an equal share on the British market with other companies. The newspapers state that the agreement does not compensate tho owners of Russian oil ifields, which the Soviet confiscated. Reports that negotiations uotween Russian petrol and other petrol companies wero approaching finality were quickly followed to-night by the official announcement that the price of all petrol, including Russian, was being raised 2J pence a gallon forthwith.