Harold John Finlay, 1901–1951
During the 1940s, Harold Finlay worked closely with fellow paleontologist John Marwick to provide a detailed timescale of New Zealand’s recent sedimentary rocks. A micro-palaeontologist, he showed that the presence of foraminifera (single-celled planktonic animals) were remarkably good indicators of time, and he used them to distinguish different rock layers. This proved invaluable for oil prospecting.
Learn more at the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
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Harold William Wellman, 1909–1999
Geologist Harold Wellman followed diverse interests, including petroleum exploration, during his career. In 1940 he prospected for oil shale at Orepuki in Southland, and in the late 1950s he worked briefly for British Petroleum, looking for oil around Gisborne.
Learn more at the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography
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