Off-Shore

Big Plans For Off-Shore Oil Probe

first major effort to find oil shore waters of Papua-New \ is likely to commence in y- JHC Surveys Ltd., a British npany, will make an under ter survey of 9,600 sq. miles of puan Gulf.

P. Bliaux, a representative of i., in Port Moresby on No 2, said that the £250,000 sur ill extend from Orio, just of Port Moresby, to Mibu ;rmit for oil exploitation in If was granted to an Ameri cked firm, Camelot Nominees :d., in May last year. It re was renewed for a further r ears. is reported in early November other group, Burmah Oil, has onducting seismic operations •res Strait with a view to down ocean bores.

Drilling Raises

bua’s Oil Hopes

LING by Australasian Petro m Co. Pty. Ltd. at lehi, in g g e d country in Western is continuing. It may now deep as 12,000 ft, Instead of eviously scheduled 10,000 ft In November it was at 9,000 company reported in October I traces had been encountered 5,800 ft and that the well be fully drilled before testing, ng the month there has been kening of public interest in [oresby and Australia in the st. Shares of Oil Search Ltd.,

Lustralian partner in the

3 (with British Petroleum Ltd. icuum Oil) have been in brisk d. Quoted on Sydney Ex around 4/11 in October, the ares moved to 6/6 in early ber. real significance of the oil probably will not be known arly in the New Year, when mpany goes back to the task ing the oil-bearing sands and king results. after 20 years’ effort, and the [iture of over £30 million in rritory oil search, hopes have ■aised again that a payable ke might be made, years ago, APC’s Puri well more than 1,000 barrels a r some weeks—but it was sub tly abandoned when increas antities of water entered the