Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1901 — PAYING OIL IN AFRICA. [ARTICLE]

PAYING OIL IN AFRICA.

Official Reports Indicate Petroleum De* posits Are Extensive. » Consul General Stowe, of Cape Town,sends a report from Mr. Seavill, mining and land agent, of Kimberley, on the -discovery of indications of mineral oil in South Africa, with reports on said indications by geological ind mining experts, from which the following extracts have been taken: “The supposed oil belt in South Africa extends from the Ceres district across the country to Mossel bay on the coast, 250 miles east of Cape Town. The geological formation is the Devonian period throughout, locially known as the ‘Bokveldt beds/ Tre marked indications of the existence of petroleum in this belt are small quantities of gas escaping near the contact between the shales and sandstone; iridescent, oily looking paaches of film upon the surface of itanding water near these contacts; mysterious fires occurring on the bare veldt, burning for two or three months at a time. In the Mossel bay district another evidence of the existence of petroleum is found in the shape of the pitchy, bituminous substance between shales in the Gourits river. The geological and physical character and condition of the rocks in the Mossel district are favorable. The shales of the Bokveldt series are j compact and retentive in depth, while i the sandstones and other beds of the table mountain sandstone which ac- j company the shales are-well fitted by j nature to act as reservoirs.

“Two small companies have been formed in Kimberley for the purpose of securing prospective rights, and have obtained some GO,OOO to 70,000 acres. A syndicate has also been formed in Kimberley which has secured contracts covering about 200 farms in the Mossel bay district, but, beyond getting reports and putting i down a three-inch bore hole to 120 feet on Bailies. Gatt, nothing has been, done in the way of active prospecting. \ Neither the two Kimberley companies nor the Mossel bay syndicate are in a financial position to carry on the 1 work nor are they at present able to j secure the necessary capital for the j purpose. “The difficulties surrounding prospecting for petroleum in South Africa are very great and may he stated asfol- [ lows: First, the urgent want of experienced oil prospectors, competent i to decide authoritatively on oil formations and conditions, to locate proper ! spots for borings and'to conduct oper- ! ations to any neces-ary depth, and, second, the want of capital. The area of country showing indications is so great and' the land so cheap that it might be worth the serious attention of Americans interested in the oil industry. There are no laws in Cape i Colony referring to petroleum mining., and up to quite recently the crown has claimed no rights whatever, but the surveyor g. neral has had such rights reserved in all recent issues of titles to crown lands.”