Story: Oil and gas

Looking for oil and gas

Looking for oil and gas

Geologist Chris Uruski pores over metres of printouts from seismic surveys conducted east of the Wairarapa coast in the early 2000s. The surveys are carried out on land and at sea. Sound waves are bounced off different rock layers beneath the earth’s surface, and the returning pattern of sound shows the structure of rocks and reveals layers where oil and gas are likely to be trapped.

Using this item

GNS Science
Reference: CN20314
Photograph by Lloyd Homer

Permission of GNS Science must be obtained before any use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Roger Gregg and Carl Walrond, 'Oil and gas - Oil and gas basins', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/9146/looking-for-oil-and-gas (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Roger Gregg and Carl Walrond, published 12 Jun 2006