SEARCH FOR OIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23061, 11 June 1938, Page 17

SEARCH FOR OIL

EAST COAST OPERATIONS

EXPERTS FROM AMERICA

EQUIPMENT FOR BORING

FIRST SHIPMENT LANDED

Three American oil experts, brought to the Dominion in connection with the plan of the New Zealand Petroleum Company, Limited, to drill for oil near Gisborne, arrived from the United States by the Mariposa yesterday. They are Mr. W. S. Simpson, accountantmanager, and Messrs. A. Weymouth and H. W. Thorns, geologists with experience in s Californian fields. In addition, the Mariposa brought a substantial quantity of the 1500 tons of plant and machinery to be used by the company in its drilling. The remainder of the equipment is on the Trehata, due from New York on July 3. On arrival yesterday morning, the Americans were met by Mr. W. H. Gallaher, chief geologist for the Standard Oil Company, of New York, Mr. J. H. Lindon, general manager of /the Vacuum Oil Company, Proprietary, Limited, of Wellington, and representatives of the Auckland office of the company, one of the shareholding companies in the New Zealand. Petroleum Company. They left for Wellington by train last night.

Most Modern Machinery Mr. Thorns said the machinery sent to New Zealand was of the most modern type, as used for rotary drilling in the deep fields of the United States. He mentioned that there had been great progress in the methods of boring, and said it was now as easy to bore to 10,000 ft. as it was to reach 3000 ft. some years ago. Deep boring was particularly highly developed in California, most bores in other parts of the world being shallow by comparison. Although not fully conversant with the degree to which the work had been carried on in the Dominion, Mr. Thorns said the first drills would be made following preliminary work already done. Sites for further testing would probably be surveyed while the party was in New Zealand. Other Experts Arriving In addition to his experience in California, Mr. Thoms has searched successfully for oil in South America. He said he had located fields which were now operating on a commercial basis in both Argentina and Bolivia, the preliminary work necessitating trips into the jungle to locate the fields.

The Auckland Harbour Board's floating crane was used to lift some of the larger pieces of machinery from the Mariposa yesterday. The equipment will be taken to Gisborne by coastal steamer, and from there by road to the site to be drilled, 29 miles from Gisborne. It includes bore casing, pumps, engines and piping. Four more experts, including the leader of the party, Mr. Hobart La Mar, will arrive from Sydney by the Niagara on Monday. They will travel direct from Auckland to Gisborne, and will make an early visit to the site at Rere, where a, camp and an access road are under construction.