SEARCH FOR OIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23162, 7 October 1938, Page 12

SEARCH FOR OIL

WORK IN POVERTY BAY

j DRILLING TO COMMENCE

START AT TOTANGI NEXT WEEK [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] GISBORNE, Thursday

Unless unforeseen circumstances change the present plans of the directorate, the New Zealand Petroleum Company will commence active drilling on the Totangi site at Ngatapa about the middle of next week. But for delays caused by storms in the early steges of the company's preparations, drilling operations would by now- have Settled down to the normal route on a 24-hour schedule; Until recent weeks the company's staff was fighting against the worst kind of weather for breaking new ground. • Those directly connected with the drilling operations will be Mr. Hobart la Marr, drilling superintendent, and Messrs. George J. Baker, Robert Kuss and Stanley Dykes, drilling experts, who will lead the three daily shifts. All four are Americans .ifrith extensive experience of drilling in other parts of tiho world, but engaging in oil exploration in New Zqaland for tho first time. Messrs. Baker, Kuss' and Dykes were last in Persia under contract to the Amiranian Oil Company, Avhile Mr. la Marr's last previous fiejd was in British Guiana.

lu the Totangi venture the drillers will be handling the most modern plant, features of which are the rig, tested to a carrying capacity of 500 tons and estimated to have a strength far in excess of that weight, powerful Diesel units for driving the rotary drill and the mud pumps, and the latest types of drilling pipe and casing. The company's equipment should take care of every conceivable obstacle which may be met in tho process of sinking the well.

The initial stage in the drilling operations is to sink a surface casing which may go down to 300 or 400 ft. and is then cemented securely in place. Piping of smaller diameters is subsequently used, the size of the bore decreasing as the well goes deeper. It has been stated that horizons to 8000 ft. at least will be fully tested and that if_ indications are encouraging the well will go even deeper. The drilling rig has a range of 12,000 ft.. providing an adequate margin.