OIL IN AUSTRALIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20281, 14 December 1927, Page 9

OIL IN AUSTRALIA

ROMA DISCOVERY GENUINE. OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. (Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, December 13. In his report to Mr C. W. Marr (Minister for Home and Territories) regarding the discovery of oil at Roma, Dr Woolnough (Commonwealth Geological Adviser) states that in his opinion the question is not now whether, but when and where, oil will be discovered. He says that the Roma discovery is genuine, and of great importance. It did not necessarily follow, however, that the longawaited discovery of petroleum in commercial quantities would be an accomplished fact. The proifhct of the Roma hove, which was technically termed filtered oil, was far removed in every respect from crude oil, which was being sought. Refined oils were known in several oilfields of the world, but in most cases they were regarded as of interest rather than of imjiortance commmcrcially. The true significance of the Roma discovery lay in the fact that there was no evidence of formation on a very large scale of natural petroleums in that part of Queensland. Future operations must resolve themselves into a search for still unknown oil pools, whence oils of Roma and other localities have been derived by migration through rock formations.