DISCOVERY 



243 



for petroleum without regard for anything more than 

 doubtful surface indications. In Albert County, oil- 

 shale deposits have been investigated which have 

 yielded up to fifty gallons of oil per ton on distillation ; 

 these deposits have been sur\-eyed in several areas 

 within this region, with promising results. In Quebec, 

 on the other hand, the results of exploration have 

 proved unsatisfactory, both for oil and gas. One field 

 (that of Gaspe) has yielded oil, but only in small 

 amount, and the possibility of extensive supply is 

 remote. The Geological Survey definitely advised 

 against any further drilling within the province (1915), 

 though this opinion has not met with general credence. 

 In Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfound- 

 land, bituminous shale deposits occur which have of 

 late received attention ; those of Nova Scotia are said 

 to be as important as those of Scotland, and richer in 

 hydrocarbon content. The Western Canadian fields 

 embrace certain regions in the Yukon and North-west 

 Territories, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and 

 British Columbia, of which the Province of Alberta 

 and the Mackenzie Territory seem to offer the best 

 chances of future success. Prospecting in these areas 

 has in the past been rather of a speculative nature, 

 but with the increased data to hand furnished by the 

 admirable work of the Canadian Geological Surveys, 

 coupled with the experience already gained from some 

 of the more promising ventures, future operations 

 should meet with a considerable amount of success. 



The oil potentialities of the West Indies have long 

 been regarded as favourable, and of the five islands 

 which have recently received attention in this respect, 

 Trinidad and Barbados have both justified the initial 

 work carried out. The Barbados petroleum deposits 

 are much less important than those of Trinidad at the 

 present juncture ; they are mainly confined to the 

 Scotland region of the island, where the oil is associated 

 with Miocene sandstone and shale. The curious 

 desiccated tar product " Manjak " occurs here, which 

 has been mined considerably in the past. The Trinidad 

 oilfields have been much more systematically developed 

 than those of Barbados, and operations are proceeding 

 on an ever-increasing scale. Petroleum indications are 

 mostly confined to the southern part of the island, 

 where the well-known fields of Tabaquite, Guaya- 

 guayare, and Barrackpore, yielding very high-grade 

 products, are located. A great deal of prospecting yet 

 remains to be carried out before all the resources of 

 this island are tapped, and, with the increased facilities 

 of transport and the installation of further pipeline 

 systems, rapid development may confidently be 

 expected. 



There remain for our consideration the countries of 

 New Zealand and Australia. In New Zealand there 

 are three principal districts from which oil seepages 

 have been known, the most important being that of 

 Moturoa, near New Plymouth, in North Island. From 

 this source small quantities of oil have been obtained 



PRlNCirAI, OII,FIEI.DS OF TIIE WORI.D 



