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part 2 .] Hughes: Petroleum in Assam. 
Petroleum in Assam, by Theodore W. II. Hughes, a. k. s. m., f. g. s., Geological 
Survey of India. 
In looking through the literature relating to petroleum, I have not met with any record 
of the composition of oils occurring in Assam. Burmese-oil, which is perhaps better known 
under the name of Rangoon-oil, has, on the contrary, been the subject of frequent investi¬ 
gation, and one of the later and most highly interesting papers referring to it is to be found 
in the Memoirs of the American Academy* * * § for 1867, under the heading of “ Examination 
of Naptha obtained from Rangoon Petroleum,” by Warren and Storer. 
Having been fortunate enough lately to procure a few notest showing the result 
obtained by submitting some Assam petroleum to distillation at varying temperatures, I 
propose taking this opportunity of placing them on record. 
The petroleum experimented upon was obtained from a spring in land granted to Mr. 
Goodenough, a member of the firm of Melvillop, Stewart and Company. The tract, as 
specified in a letter to the Board of Revenue, embraced “ both sides of the Boree Dehing 
river from Juipore to the effluence of the No Dehing river to a distance of ten miles on 
each side of the Boree Dehing, including the lands near the Clierraphong hills, Jaipore, 
the Makoom river, the Namchik Poong, the Terap river, the Namchik river, the Jugloo 
river, and the Terok river.” 
Which spring the petroleum that was tested came from I am unable to say; but it 
was probably from one struck near Makoom ,% as the springs in that neighbourhood sur¬ 
passed any others in the copiousness of their discharge, and evidently attracted most 
attention. 
The first of the systematic borings for oil was commenced at Nahore Poong§ in Novem¬ 
ber 1866; but it does not appear to have been successful, and it was abandoned after having 
been sunk to a depth of 102 feet. In addition to several other hand-borings, a Mather and 
Platt steam-boring machine was set working in the latter end of December, and a hole was 
carried down 195 feet; but with the exception of a few signs of gas, there were no good 
results. 
It appears from the records placed at my disposal that a blue clay was invariably met 
with, not only in the Nahore Poong borings, but in those at Makoom and elsewhere. It 
would have been interesting to know whether this clay, independently or in association with 
some other rock, was a good index to oil; but on this point there is nothing clear. 
Whilst the borings at Nahore Poong were proceeding, others were begun at Makoom. 
Oil was struck in one hole on the 26th March 1867 at 118 feet, and it immediately rose 74 
feet in the bore, being 44 feet below the surface. About 300 gallons were drawn, after which 
it was found not to flow continuously, a circumstance which it was hoped would be remedied 
by sinking deeper. 
As many as eight holes seem to have been put down in the Makoom area, and they were 
nearly all successful in tapping oil. The yield varied in each. 
* Vol. IX, Part 1, New Series, page 208. 
f I am indebted for these notes and for much useful information regarding petroleum and coal in Assam to my 
friend Mr. J. Jenkins. 
t Lat. 27° 18’ North, Long. 95° 40' East. 
§ The places recommended during the progress of the borings were—Nahore Poong, Makoom, Borhaut, 
Nainchcck, and Bapoo Poong. 
