Oil Exploration in Papua

THE following progress, was made dur ing the month of March, 1949, in the Australian Petroleum Company’s operations in Papua-New Guinea:— OROI. Drilling was continued to 1,980 feet at which depth it was decided to in sert 9| in. casing to isolate the upper gas and water which continue to impede drilling progress.

UPOIA. The parted drill collar has been recovered and drilling in heavy shale formation has been continued to 1,344 feet.

HOHORO. The hole was spudded in during the month and has reached a depth of 1,065 feet. Preparations are in hand to insert 18| in. casing.

MALALAUM. The road to the test site has been formed for 6i miles of its total length of 9J miles.

WAN A. A drilling site has been se lected in close proximity to the left bank of the Era River approximately 5 miles north-north-west of Port Romilly. Little road making is required, and clearing of jungle for rig site, service buildings and staff and labour accommodation is in progress.

In order to obtain stratigraphical in formation in a zone remote from pre vious drilling in Papua, a National “50”

Drilling Rig will be loaned to Island Ex ploration Company Pty., Ltd. for the drill ing of a test well on that Company’s adjacent permit area.

All stratigraphical information obtained by Island Exploration Company Pty., Ltd. from the drilling of this well will be made available to Australian Petroleum Company Pty., Ltd.

On March 15, an American plane ar rived in Papeete, bringing Doctor John Kessel, chairman of the Department of Bacteriology of the University of Southern California, and Doctor Willard Wright, Chief of the Division of Tropical Medicine, of the US Public Health Ser vice. They conferred with Doctor Bye, Doctor Edgar, and the French Health Ser vice on work being done on Philorias re search in Tahiti. During their short stay they were guests of the Philorias Insti tute.