Taranaki Petroleum.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXVII, Issue 4182, 27 August 1909, Page 4

Taranaki Petroleum.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. New Pb ri"th. Last Nigh. The manager of the Taranaki Petroleum Company having cleared the bore of obstructions on Monday, recommenced operations this morning, and throughout the clay continued by means of two sand pumps lifting oil out of the well. During the short time that operations were suspended to secure the lost rope and tools the oil in "the well rose about 1500 ft within 1300 ft of the top. As the result of today's work no reduction of thedepth of oil in the bore was made. There is a certain amount of water with the oil, each stroke of the pump showing about two-thirds water. While it is unlikely that water in any appreciable quantity is finding its way into the bore, it is impossible to say definitely until the well has been pumped dry and a thorough test made. Unfortunately there is no pump available, the only one the company possesses being in use at No. 2 bore. It is also doubtful whether there is a deep well pump of the dimensions required in the Dominion, but telegraphic inquiries to Australia and likely firms in New Zealand are now being made. The oil is extremely rich in paraffin wax, congesting to the consistency of vaseline. Immediately it reaches the surface it is of rich brown colour, as distinguished from the chocolate-green of the other bore. Operations will be continued with the sand pump until pumping machinery can be installed.

The No. 2 bore was producing an average of about 15 barrels daily when active operations ceased, to allow Mr Berry to test the well in terms of his offer to produce a minimum of 20 barrels daily. The pump was refitted today, and pumping commenced in the afternoon, oil being pumped Btfi.Jily until the evening. The well is practically full of oil, which it will take some time to exhaust. Meanwhile the new underground tank for storing the oil is hardly ready, and the test proper will not commence until Monday. The prospects at both bores are of the brighest, and certainly at no time in the history of the industry has such a supply of oil been in sight. In explanation of the quantity of water with the oil now being got at such a high level, the manager says that it was raised by gas from the bottom of the bore, and had not had time to settle again.