Tongan Oil To Flow In '78?

Three wells on Tonga’s main is land, Tongatapu, are expected to produce commercial quantities of free-flowing oil next year.

One of the proposed drilling sites is in the heart of the capital, Nukualofa. The others are close to Fuamotu Airport.

A seismic survey by the Col orado-based oil exploration com pany Webb Resources has indicated a “probable strike”, says the com pany’s agent on Tonga, Mr Carl Riechelmann.

The company spent sl'/ 2 million on the survey which began five months ago, he said in Nukualofa in October.

Drilling equipment was expected to arrive in late November or early December and spudding in is likely in late January.

Mr Riechelmann said Webb Re sources has guaranteed to drill three wells. The cost will be about s4'/* million.

About 30 000 sacks of a com pound used in drilling are already in Nukualofa.

Oil seepages have been known in Tonga for many years. King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV has photo graphs of two in his palace, and has long hoped to see oil production in his economically struggling kingdom.

Mr Riechelmann said regular samples have been tested and estab lished as crude oil.

Asked if a well in the heart of Nukualofa would cause problems, he said; “They say it’s just a matter of pipes.”