SOUTHERN CROSS PETROLEUM COMPANY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5171, 28 November 1884, Page 3

SOUTHERN CROSS PETROLEUM COMPANY.

The following letter, having reference to ' the No. 3 bore, has been received from Dr j Hector by the Directors oi the Southern ' Cross Petroleum Company, and will, no doubt, be read with interest -. — " Wellington. — The samples forwarded with your letter of Nov. 16, are from the No. 16 bed, which is the lowest upper cretaceous, and overlies the Awanui formation, Nos. 17 to 23, which are the beds supposed to carry the oil." The following are extracts from report referred to : — No. IG, green marly sandstone with plant remains. Lower cretaceous, Awanui series : This formation j is important from being the oldest group i of rocks that is found in the district, and j from the fact that the occurrence of oil or j gas springs is invariably associated with i its appearance at the surface. It com- ! prises the following strata : — No. 17, black \ shale with flakes of gypsum ; No. 18, cal- ; careous shales, with brown-coloured coni cretions of large size ; No. 19, bituminous j limestone ; No. 20, bright green sandstone, : with layers of dark shale ; No. 22, coarse ; concretionary sandstone, weathering into | large boulders ; No. 23, dark green ferru- : geinous sandstones. In the sandstones, : masses of carbonised wood occur, but no distinct coal seams have been found. Stratum No. 5 is in general a flaggy limestone, but in some places is charged with . bituminous matter, so as to acquire a dark ' colour, and is the only bed yet found in the district which affords any indication of ; the presence of oil. It is not, however, to j be considered as the source of the oil, but ! merely as a reservoir in which it has ' locally accumulated under favourable cir- ■ cumstances.