NOTI^^S OX THE OCCUKKENCE OF PETROLEUM 

 IX QUEENSLAND. 



B}^ J. B. Henderson, F.I.C, Govt. Analyst. 



{Bead before the Royal Society of Queewsland, 2Sth April, 



1920). 



Doubt has been expressed as to the actual OL-currence 

 of petroleum compounds in Queensland. Mr. L. C. Ball, 

 B.A., B.E., of the Queensland Geological Survey, co lected 

 data and pubhshed them in an article in the Government 

 Mining Journal for August, 1910, page 390. The instances 

 there noted of occurrences of oil on water are ceitainly 

 clear proof of the presence of jDetr oleum. The gas 

 occurrences, however, can only be accepted as having been 

 proved of petroleum origin in the case of the Roma Bore 

 gas. Some of the other gases may, on analysis, prove to 

 be of petroleum and not of coal seam origin, but that has 

 not yet been determined. The gas from the Maria Creek 

 Bore proved, on analysis, to be carbon dioxide. 



Full details of the gas from the Roma Bore are given 

 in Publication No. 247 of the Queensland Geological 

 Survey. The gas is most certainly of petroleum and not 

 of coal seam origin. 



Samples of oil from the Ruthven Bore at 4,105 feet 

 and from the Springleigh Bore 5,800 feet were shown to 

 the Society. 



The bore water was in each case hot and the hot oil, 

 after skimming and cooling, was found to sohdify into a 

 dirty brown-black w'ax, the Ruthven sample being much 

 softer than the Springleigh sample. On examination they 



gave the followdng results : — 



Rnthven. Springleigh. 



Soluble in jietrol ether . . 90.0 per cent. 6.).o per cent. 



Soluble in turps then chloroform 4.0 jier cent. 1(5.5 per cent. 



Other organic matter (by difference) 0.7 per cent. .5.2 per cent. 



Inorganic residue . . 0.3 per cent. 12.8 jjer cent. 



100.0 per cent. 100.0 per cent. 



