STRUCK OIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 12968, 7 May 1906, Page 3

STRUCK OIL.

TARANAKI PETROLEUM. -Alter about 40 years' prospecting, boring, and experimenting, with many trials, losses, and vexations, there seems no reason to doubt that. at : last, petroleum has been tapped at New Plymouth in payable quantities. Never have the indicationsbeen better, and never was the manager (Mr G. Fair) more confident. Interviewed by a press representative last Monday, he said he commenced this bore about 18 months ago. ■; It was now down to a depth of 2331 ft. The bore is cased to a depth of 2210 ft with 6in. steel casing, and the pump goes to; a depth* of 2296 feet. By means of the casing the manager disposed of the .water difficulty, which always proved detrimental to success in past years. For the last fortnight tlfe | staff has been lowering this casing, .which | now rests on a good.bottom, and the. bore is practically clear of silt or water, which was effectually cut off on April llth. From that date things have been constantly brightening and improving,,, until to-dav the manager, the shareholders, and the public are brimming over with excitement, and sellers refused."- business at £2O per share. . On Friday, when the. pressure was removed, the oil/" which was only awaiting an outlet, gushed out at every available opening, spouting with great force. The sample was pure and absolutely free from water, rising naturallywithout pumping. To give some idea of the pressure at which the oil is being forced thrugh the casing outside of the pipe in which the 3in. pipe works a couple of kerosene tins were filled in a few seconds with only a fraction of the pipe opened. It is. calculated that if this is i sustained the flow is equal to 400 barrels, [or 16,000 gallons a day of 24 hours. On Friday night the casing was sealed, and during the night the oil continued' to force its way up the pump. Saturday was an off day-nt the-worts-in order to allow the gas pressure to accumulate in the pump and so confine the flow of oil to the proper channel. During Sunday over 10 barrels ran from a small opening. The manager is well pleased at this, and no pumping was done to-day. the pressure increasing from 401b to the. square inch on Saturday to 491b to-day, or equal to about 15001b at.the bottom of the vumpAsked as to the quality of the ohy Mr Fair said:—"After many years' conneetion with oil wells- in Canada, Italy, Roumania, and Pennsylvania, I can say\ positively that I have never seen better oil or richer in by-products. At a temperature of 75 degrees it is- almost as liquid as water, and compares with tee lie&t oils I have ever handled. It is 20 per cent, ahead of Canadian, and better for p&riffin and lubricating than JPennsylvunian petros leum. The analysis of the Moturoa "oil (New Plymouth); given "by Dr 'J> Macintosh Bell, director of the geological survey,' runs: Water, 0.4; kerosene or burning oil, distilling between 15§ degrees cettigrade and 300 centigrade,- 42;. lubricating oil, 20.3; paraffhi} 13.'3; ; ; cckei'/5; loss 4." ..»..•-. . . "You are confident that you have struck a really payable flow now?'\ asked the re- ; porter. "Absolutely so, -and that where we stand now„ under the whole town of New Plymouth,* and nearly all Taranaki, is one vast oilfield, just" development;. I was interested in previous; boring, and promised then to. those in that venture ;that I would return some -day-and prove that oil exists. .1 came, and I-have proVed : it now. I have shown that the oil is there; and in such quantities that it seems likely-to.be obtained without the expense of pumping. Never in my life have I seen 'better results, and I predict the early fulfilment of the most hopeful predictions." It is expected that the flow will be 100 barrels daily without -pumping, and it tis reported that there is a good market for all-that can be'. r produced.- 1 —'■ —■