Orepuki oil shale, Orepuki, Southland District, Southland Region, South Island, New Zealand

Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):	46° 17' 10'' South , 167° 43' 57'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):	-46.28621,167.73268
Köppen climate type:	Cfb : Temperate oceanic climate

Oil shale was first discovered in the area in 1879. The London based New Zealand Coal and Oil Shale Company was processing oil from oil shale from 1899 to 1903, and at the time of writing (2018) remains the only successful oil shale mining in New Zealand. Approximately 14,000 tonnes of oil shale was mined, producing 145 litres of oil per tonne. Present estimates place a potential of 176 to 323 litres per tonne.

The geology of the oil shale is poorly understood. It is part of the Waimeamea series, in turn part of the Beaumont Coal Measures Formation. The oil shale is overlain by carbonaceous mudstone and thin coal interbeds. The oil shale is dark brown to black bedded shale, Eocene age.

Pictomicrograph examination of some samples show organic matter dominated by terrestrial vitrinite, but sparse lamalginite. Tiny pyrite crystals are common. The shale developed in a freshwater lacustrine environment, with some terrestrial input.

Sadaf (2013) was positive about the potential of the oil shale, with a relatively high organic matter, with a high abundance of aromatics, and absence of illite. The exact site of the oil shale extraction was not found, however samples for studies were collected from the mouth of Falls Creek, bordering the southern side of Orepuki. Oil shale can be seen here in low coastal cliffs, and the Mindat co-ordinates are located here. The oil shale processing plant boiler from the early 20th Century can be seen in a park in Orepuki, next to the raised red railway water tank.

This deposit is located at the mouth of Falls Creek.

Mineral List

1 valid mineral.

Rock Types Recorded

References

External Links