Again?

To Seek Oil

£500,000 Co. in Papua

From Our Own Correspondent.

Pt. Moresby, Feb. 2.

AN important new registration under the N.S. Wales Companies Act is that of Oil Search Ltd., with a capital of £500,000. Directors. —Chairman: W. A.

Freeman; W. D. Whatron, A. J. Gibson, John Mac Kay, H. G. Foxall, S. N. Mc lean and E. L. Walter. The registered office is at Port Moresby, Papua. Agent in N.S.W.: Neil Walter, 350 George St., Sydney.

It is supposed that this Co. is connected in some way with the Oriomo Oil Com pany, which was operating in the Western Division (north-west of the Fly, on the mainland of Papua, opposite Daru) up to 1928/29, under Mr. S. N. McLean.

Mr. McLean has now gone through to New Guinea to report on the work of geologists there. After having tested New Guinea, the company will send experts to Papua. The survey works are being done thoroughly, and the company hopes to find oil in both territories.

The Oriomo Oil Co. was visited by Dr.

Richardson (principal geologist to the Anglo-Persian Oil Co. Ltd.) in March, 1928. His report was unfavourable. In October, 1927, Oriomo had four bores which were then being drilled.

Up to 1927/28 there were five oil com panies operating in Papua, namely: New Guinea Oil Company Ltd. (Gulf Divi sion); Vogel (Papua) Petroleum Coy., Ltd. (N.E. Division): Oriomo Ltd. (West

ern Division): Papuan Petroleum Co.

Ltd. (Gulf Division); Anglo-Persian Oil Co. Ltd. (Popo Area).

The Anglo-Persian Oil Company ceased boring operations in Papua in October, 1929, and the only company working in 1930 was the Cape Vogel Co. By 1931 the search for petroleum in Papua was aban doned.

The cessation of boring for oil at Popo by the Commonwealth Government (with the Anglo-Persian Oil Company) was it was said, because the Commonwealth Government preferred not to continue such a costly undertaking and not be cause there was no prospect of oil in the Territory.

An extract from the annual report, 1930-31, compiled by the Administrator, Sir J, H. P. Murray: “The search for pet roleum has been abandoned, but I am loathe to believe that it does not exist in payable quantities somewhere in the Gulf or in the Western Division; and I can ap peal in support of my own extremely ill-in formed opinion to an article by Sir Ed ward David on the Imperial Geophysical Experimental Survey in the Journal of

the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research for May, 1931. Referring to the “vast alluvial plains of the Fly River and other rivers in Papua.” this authority says, “There can be little doubt that under the alluvial of this great plain are, in places, what will eventually prove to be payable oilfields.’”