PETROLEUM.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13240, 11 August 1906, Page 7

PETROLEUM.

FINE PROSPECTS AT INGLE."WOOD. FLAMES OF PETROLIFEROUS, GAS.

That Inglewood will be proved to be portion of the Taranaki oilfield is the belief of experts, and certainly the splendid prospects obtainable in that locality justify the assumption. For many years the presence of gas in abnormal quantities has been noted, and of late the .stimulus given to prospecting by the success achieved at Moturoa reveals encouraging! indications which point- to extensive deposits around Inglewood. Tiie Inglewood Oil and Prospecting Company, which has been met in a very liberal spirit hy the owners of property on wjiiah oil is believed to be obtainable, has secured 'boiing' rights over a block of about 1000 a<sres south of Inglewood, besides other options on likely country,, the total area being close on 3000 acres. For the most part it. is situated between Norfolk and Rugby Roads, with the railway running through the centre, and the best "show" obtained so far is on, the farm of Mr Joseph Burgess, adjacent to the Mountain .Road, ,abo'at three miles from - Inglewood. On Friday a party of Inglewood and New Plymouth residents paid a visit oi inspection- to this site. Among those^ present were Messrs L. W. (Chairman of the provisional directorate of the Company), .W. E. Percival (Mayor^jf Inglewood), H. Brown (Inglewood^ G. Ramson (New Plymouth), , three of the directors. Other members of the New Plymouth party were tMersrs R. 9Kirton, D. MeAllum (the Company's hroker), A. 'H. O'Lougblin, H. Weston, H. M. Bauehope, J. Skinner, D. Penman, Carter of New Zealand), and G. Arrowsmith, R. Gribbon (Awaldno), whilst from Jnglewood were Messrs L.>-G. 'Spencer (borough engineer), F. Brown, T. E! Hamerton, H. Trimble, R\ Stevens, A. Marshall and R. Johnston. ,'A little swampy creek traversing the property was the rendezvous. In v a number of places in the bed of the little stream and the soft mud could be seen gas bubbling up from its subterranean source, but the "star* attraction was f a pipe sunk in the ground to a depth of nine feet where for many, years the phenomenon had been particularly noted, before its significance was realised. Mr Alexander explained that a small 86le s had -been! 'pu'fc'down. by means of an -auger. After passing, through the top soil and about five feet df sand, the pipe, about two inches in, diameter, Jbad been' 'put <Lcii\n until it rested 'on 3iarks scoria formation' -at the^ctep^zh 1 'mietjtioncd. It was perforated at^the bottom, to. tidjarj the egress osjggßp % ~ $> % \ Mr Alexander, .proceeded id pufoftf ime slight acoumulataon of sand" ■and- water out of the pipe, the spectators meanwhile remarking upon the incessant rumbling observable. " jNow I will show you something," said tihe enthu* siastio " showman," 'he did. Applying a match to tiie top of the pipe the gas at once ignited, the flam© issuing to the 'height of a couple of feet. •A kettle was produced and 'bodied over ffche jet, and -all' present ■were regaled .with afternoon tea ) forested on "tibe spot. Whilst -fehe flame continued wart* n steady glbw, the visitors proceedec to inspect fhe locality. " Try thic bubbles in the creek,* 7 ' suggested a •New Plymsoutfc. man, and, the curious spectacle oi fire on toy of the water was stm. iAe oil-like scum, giving the colours of, oil, but without apparent odour, issued with the water pumped out oi the pipe just before leaving, this being perhaps a 'better sign, in i/he eyes of experts than anything else. The visitors departed with the conviction that the optimism of the directors ifc well-founded.. There can be no doubt that the gas is of petroliferous ori gin.

The directorate is a strong one, and on the face of it the Company appears to have at least a', good chance of success. ,The. capital- of; the concern', £5000, should enable the directors to prove their asset, and from the nature of the country the opinion is 'held that oil will be struck !at a shallower depth than" dn-New Plymouth. The Company is* offerings to the public for subscription practically the whole of its shares, -only three being otherwise disposed of. It is a genuine prospecting body, and visitors can rest assured! that the m/an>ag | enaent is in good hands. A spirit, of cooperation) is manifest in th© district, the desire of all is to commence, operations as soon as possible. Friday"^ display should give a stimulus to 'the dbmawd for shares,^ and thie direrctors will soon 'be able to make a 'start. At present the Imglewood interests are represented'by Messrs Percival and! H. Brown. When the permianien<t directorate is formed it is contemplated appointing one of the local farttners as a member, in recognitions erf i)h&, way property-owners have met ifae ■'. Company. With this issue the New Plymouth Oil and Freehold Company circulates an excellently arranged form ©i application for shares, by which applicants can see at a 'glance the exact ainoinut required as application and allotment money on various parcels of shares. A renewed interest is being taken in oil, a-ntl the Company should offer a genuine and straightforward opportunity for speculators. The local Board had not , been idle the last few weeks, 'and has been fortunate in securing a number of good rights in all parts of the district, which in the course of a few months may mean a considetfable as- 1 set t o the Company. From the natural dyke or cut-off at the Eaitaki range, which trends out seawards on the southern flank of

Mount • Egmont, to tthe Moturoa Sugar Loaves, -and' from thence right round the mountain towards the other slope .trending "down to Inglew od, o Stratford, fNgaire and 1 OEltham, seepage of petroleum shows up everywhere. This goes far to prove the opinion of oil experts that a, huge oil well or series .of wells exist underground in that radius, and the foreign capital which is coming to New Plymouth, along with expert knowledge, will speedily proye..it to the utmost advantage to investors and to Taranaki. Experts who have given their attention to^ thf lay' and formation of the country have come to the conclusion that there will foe -little difference in the 'depths at which payable and permanent oil will he struck.

For ' instance, 'ihe well at Moturoa was struck at a depth of 2200 odd feet, and the Level frotoi which it was tapped! lay t at, an elevation of, say, 30 feet above sea-level ; -then in suoh oa»B any farm lying within the oil region described, say, ait 1200 feet above sealevel, the borer would necessarily require to bore 'about 1200 ft. deeper to gietTtot a similar 'deptfeh. rtjoi ftiha/lj 'a'ttrived at by the Tarana^i Petroleum Company, 'for speaking with the experience gained -at Pitthole, Baku, and other noted oil regions ' of the world, oil wells. 'as a rule lie like the ocean itself-ranostl^'oii one level, and those lucky enough -to - bore througih • the apex *of >.\tfke anticline some of the toiig wells of Taranaki - may 'enjoy as big and pleasant a surprise a-s did the fortunate owners of the great Beaumont well of the United 'Staltes.