VIOLENT OIL BLOW-OUT

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1931, Page 6

VIOLENT OIL BLOW-OUT

ENORMOUS GAS PRESSURE MINOR DAMAGE AT MOTUROA No. 2. PRODUCTION AT SHALLOW LEVEL. A violent blow-out of oil forced upwards by an internal pressure of over 10001 b. to the square inch occurred at the Moturoa Oil Fields, Ltd., No. 2 well on the foreshore at Ngamotu at 7.30 last evening, and resulted, in some damage to the derrick and the housing. The oil was struck at a much shallower level than in any other well in the field. “Last Thursday when tlie string of 8-inch drilling tools was blown about 700 feet from the bottom of the 2080 ft well and jammed,” said Mr. C. N. .Taylor, the. managing director, last evening, “considerable trouble was experienced in getting the tools out, and during lhe process a ‘bridge’ of debris formed and plugged the hole at a depth of about 1500? t. Advantage was taken of this blockage to fit heavy Sin. high-pressure valves and a control head bn the welL This was done, and over the week-end men were continuously on watch in order to close the valves after the pressure had biiilt up to a sufficient pressure to clear the well. ‘On Saturday afternoon,” he continued, “a small quantity of oil that had been forced through the bridge was found in the casing. The pressure built up over Saturday and Sunday to over 10001 b. to the square inch, and at 7.30 in the evening ft blew up and did considerable minor damage to the derrick and to the housing, portions of the roof being broken. ' “As far as can be judged, at least 50 barrels of oil, with mud and other debris, were discharged. This fell all over the workings and spread around the derrick for a considerable distance. The blowout was directed out to sea. The control valves were all closed after the blow-out.

“One good feature of the well,” continued Mr. Taylor, “is that the. water is all shut off and the oil so far met with has been struck at a much shallower level than in the other wells in the field. It is anticipated that production will be improved by deepening the well another 50 feet. Further production tests will be made to-morrow.”