SEARCH FOR OIL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23970, 21 May 1941, Page 8

SEARCH FOR OIL

PROGRESS AT MIDHIRST [by telegraph—PßESS association] NEW PLYMOUTH, Tuesday Satisfaction with the progress made in oil drilling at Midhiret was expressed by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, when he visited the bore with Mr. W. Holmes, past president of the Trades • Union Congress of Great Britain. "The plant is operating in a hard strata of grey shale that restricts boring to about one foot an hour, but it has reached a depth of 6815 ft. and should not be long in tapping gravel that may or may not contain oil," said Mr. Webb. 'There is definitely no reason for pessimism and the fact that they are getting so deep in a strata that; should be a good cap is encouraging. "My own optimism lias never been shaken and I am confident that if oil exists this plant and the men in charge of it will find it. Geologically, the indications are not unfavourable, Although the strata at present, being encountered is hard, drillers have encountered harder in other parts of the world —so mo so hard that it has only been possible to drill -tin. to oin. an hour in order to reach gravel that contained oil". "Whether such gravel will be reached at Midhirst," the Minister added, "only the drill can tell, but the Government is pleased at the serious and painstaking effort that is being made by the company."