future supply 615 



East Indies and adjacent Islands 

 dutch east indies 



The Dutch East India islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java are among 

 the most important sources of oil in the world. They are also among the 

 most interesting geologically, as the oil fields are marked by some won- 

 derful surface phenomena, such as mud volcanoes and great oil seepages. 

 The oil-bearing strata are of Tertiary age. The oil is mostly of a high- 

 grade refining type, but the production of individual wells usually is not 

 large. Those familiar with the islands claim that there are hundreds of 

 square miles of oil land yet undeveloped, so that it seems probable that 

 this source, so important at the present time, will remain so for many 

 years. 



The Celebes, Tunor, and Ceram islands also offer evidence of commer- 

 cial production. 



PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



Indications of high-grade petroleum are found at several localities in 

 the Philippines and some prospecting has been done in a small way. 

 Capital stands ready today to go in and make a thorough test of the 

 favorable localities as soon as a stable government is established in the 

 islands. Prospectors are willing to take a chance with the none too good 

 natural conditions in these islands, but wisely refrain from placing their 

 investments under the control of the vacillating island government which 

 has existed for the past four years. It is not deemed probable that these 

 islands ever will become very important as a world supply. 



JAPAN 



Japan has come to the front within the last few years as a small pro- 

 ducer of petroleum of medium grade. The deposits are of Tertiary age 

 and extend from the Pacific coast of Totomi to the west side of north 

 Japan. The deposits, though not extensive, are still of such importance 

 as to suggest a much larger annual production ultimately than the 

 3,000,000 barrels produced in 1915. 



Australia, New Zealand, ISTew Guinea 



Indications of petroleum are found in southeastern Australia, at sev- 

 eral places in New Zealand, and in west central New Guinea; but up to 

 date no commercial deposits of oil have been opened up in these great 

 British possessions, nor (]oes it seem likely tliat this quarter of the globe 

 ever will yield important quantities of oil. 



