Electronic sniffer strikes oil

A fledgling Christchurch firm has developed an electronic sniffer that can detect oil and gas in soil samples, slashing the time and money spent on exploration.

Syft Technologies' ultra-sensitive device can detect hydrocarbons in amounts as small as several parts per trillion, at incredibly fast speeds.

Director Michael Hawkins said yesterday the company was in the third stage of testing with an unnamed New Zealand oil and gas exploration company and would soon be selling the device.

The photocopier-sized detector reduces the need for exploration companies to drill deep test bores.

Mr Hawkins said plumes from oil and gas permeated up through the strata and could be detected in core samples taken at depths of about 1m.

At present, the samples are tested in a laboratory at the rate of 100 a day, but Hawkins said as many as 500 could be processed daily.

The miniaturisation of the device, which originally occupied two rooms at Canterbury University, is ongoing. Hawkins hopes it will be able to be attached to a four-wheel-drive vehicle, allowing customers to process samples on site.

"I think oil exploration is going to pick up in New Zealand with the price of oil being what it is."

Mr Hawkins said the company was continuing to test the product and was simultaneously starting to market the device, which has a $350,000 price tag.

Syft's technology is based on selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (Sift-MS) and can detect smells and flavours in minuscule amounts with accuracy.

The company is working with researchers to use it in medical diagnostics - it could help in screening for diseases such as diabetes and cancer through breath testing.

Syft is a joint venture between Canterbury University's commercialisation business, Canterprise, and Breathe Technologies, which is backed by a group of private investors.

- NZPA