Moturoa Oilfield Beam Pump

Moturoa No 4 well was drilled in 1933-4 by Moturoa Oilfields Ltd. The beam pump was installed on the well in April 1953 and operated until the field closed in 1972. This pump was re-erected near the well site by Shell BP & Todd in 1975 as a memorial to the generations of oilmen on the Moturoa Field.

Text on plaque reads:

MOTUROA NO 4 OIL WELL

DRILLED 1931 [sic 1933-4]

DEPTH 2186 FT 666M

PRODUCED 32 966bb 5250 m2

ABANDONED 1972

THIS PUMPING UNIT HAS BEEN ERECTED

BY SHELL BP & TODD OIL SERVICES LTD

AS A MEMORIAL TO THE PIONEERS

IN THE SEARCH FOR OIL IN TARANAKI

Text from plaque from Otaka/Pioneer Park

The Moturoa Oilfield; It was in 1865 that the first attempts were made to exploit the petroleum resources of the small Moturoa oilfield. In that year four individuals formed the Alpha Syndicate and began to hand-dig a shaft on the beach near what is, now, the base of the Breakwater. This pioneer company was followed by several others that eventually, by 1869, had drilled or dug eight wells on Sugarloaf Point. Exploration began again between 1890-1901 with nine wells, most completed by a company founded by local lawyer, Oliver Samuel. Of the many companies subsequently founded, the largest, the Taranaki Petroleum, was established in 1906 and drilled several producing wells. A refinery was established in 1913 but closed soon after because of failing oilflows. Following a lull in activity, a second refinery began, in 1931, to process the small but continuing flow of petroleum from the new wells in this immediate area. During the 1930s and 40s locally produced petrol and other products were marketed throughout Taranaki. In 1954 the trademark, Peak, was registered for these and a third refinery (1957) continued to operate, until 1978, on condensate from Kapuni. The last of the producing bores were closed and capped in 1972. Exploration in the field has continued, sporadically, since that time.