Tonga still hopeful that oil
p. 131 · Read in the full issue
fever will pay off
From a Nukualofa correspondent “We have genuine oil seepages; geologists have studied the formation of the Tongan Group and they think the prospects warrant further investigation, I think indications are promising because they have attracted oil companies prepared to search— a good start.
“Much time and expense will be incurred, geological and geophysical surveys, complicated and sophistocated methods will all have to be done first before drilling starts, and only after drilling and oil has been found in economic accumulations will we know. Now it is gratifying to realise our seepages have attracted many companies to apply for prospecting rights.”
This was the not unreasonable summing-up of Tonga’s oil potential by Mr. Inoke Faletau, Assistant Secretary to Government, before he left with the Minister of Lands and Health, Laufilitonga Tuita, for Britain on January 8
clo^F'on*January W
S T ,anuary 6 ’ “d Mr Tuita applications.
The pair took the applications to Britain where they would be discussed by technical and legal experts in the presence of King Taufa’ahau,
currently visiting Britain.
In London in late January the King was quoted as saying the oil samples had proved to be of high quality.
Commenting on his earlier visit to Australia last year with the Crown Solicitor, Mr. Daniel Tufui, when soil seepages first were discovered, Mr. Faletau said they had gleaned much information on the legal and administrative side of prospecting.
Britain had had one of her experts check legislation and this expert had also redrafted most of the Tongan Petroleum Act.
Now legislation encompassed off shore drilling and drilling beyond a depth of six feet as well as land drilling. The new act gave all over seas companies equal opportunity to apply for prospecting rights, provided they are registered within British territory.
It is possible that Tonga will have the services of an overseas oil advisor throughout the period of exploration but this will be decided finally at the meeting in London.