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PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION C. 



3.— THE PAPUAN PETROLEUM AREA. 

 By Evan B. Stanley, Government Geologist. 



Plate VIII. 



Gontenis. 



Introduction 



Physiography . . 



General Geology 



Occurrences of Petroleum and Natural Gas Vents . . 



Character and Composition of the Petroleum 



General Conclusions 



Introduction. 



The Vailala petroleum area is situated in that portion of the 

 Territory of Papua (British New Guinea) Icnown as the Gulf Division, 

 and takes its name from the large river, the Vailala, which flows from 

 the high mountains on or near the Anglo-German boundary, about 

 90 miles inland, and empties itself into the Gulf of Papua, near 

 Orokolo Bay. 



Much interest has been created of late over the discovery of 

 mineral oil in this portion of the Territory by Mr. G. Thomas, a local 

 plantation owner and prospector. This important discovery was made 

 about August, 1911, and was officially reported in October, of the 

 same year. I was unable to proceed to the locality until April, 1912, 

 when arrangements were made to prepare a report and a geological 

 sketch map of the country about the oil occurrences and mud 

 volcanoes. 



Expeditions were taken into the different portions of the Gulf 

 country, all with interesting results. 



During my sojourn in this interesting portion of the Territory, 

 Mr. J. E. Carne, F.G.S., Assistant Government Geologist of New South 

 Wales, visited the Gulf Division primarily to investigate the coal 

 deposits of the hinterland, and, whilst awaiting transport, seized the 

 opportunity of visiting the known localities where oil and mud 

 volcanoes were supposed to exist. He reported having made fresh 

 discoveries of petroleum in the Akauda country, about 30 miles by river 

 from the coast. His discoveries were made on the 22nd and 24th 

 February, 1912. 



Later, on 16th May, Mr. Hill, a local prospector, made another 

 discovery in a small creek off the Vailala, on the right-hand bank of 

 the river, a short distance south-west of Mr. Game's original discovery. 



On 9th May, 1912, I, in company with Mr. Hennaly, Resident 

 Magistrate of the Gulf Division, examined the country near the coast, 

 and made a fresh discovery of oil near a village called Opa, in a small 



