:: THE TARANAKI PERMITS
Taranaki already has the highest number of onshore and offshore oil and gas drillsites in the country. There are 13 new onshore/coastal permits that allows almost the entire Taranaki region to be ‘explored’ now, except a fairly thin area from near Waitara to Manaia that includes the National Park. The company Greymouth Petroleum is focussing on northern to central Taranaki while companies Kea Petroleum, TAG Oil, Green Gate, L&M Energy and Todd Energy are taking the rest of inland eastern and southern Taranaki. Todd Energy and partners are taking the west coast. There are 15 new offshore permits off the Taranaki coast, that cover an area approximately half the size of New Zealand – not including areas already being mined of course.
Timing of permits differ but most are due to start this year and have a year or so to finish exploration before they move on to production drilling. See www.crownminerals.govt.nz for more information.
:: AN ONSHORE EXAMPLE: PEP 51149 – ‘Tohu’
‘Tohu’, is an onshore/nearshore exploration permit stretching from Omata out to the seabed near Cape Egmont to near Opunake and inland to the National Park boundary. The operator is Todd Energy and the partners are Todd Energy (40%) with Melbourne-based Cue Energy (20%), Auckland-based Mighty River Power Gas Investments (30%) and Queensland explorer Mosaic Oil NL. There are several gas prospects in this area: Te Kiri (possibly near Arawhata Rd), Kina (near Kina Rd), Tipoka (near Tipoka Rd), Tohu (near Newall Rd) and Pungarehu (near Okato to Warea to near Cape Egmont).
“The PEP 51149 exploration program is targeting gas-condensate in… Eocene reservoir sands. A number of prospects and leads have been delineated in this permit on both 2D and 3D seismic, with the first exploration well planned for early/mid 2011 and a second well in 2012. The prospective gas resource targeted in these prospects is 100 to 200 BCF [billion cubic feet] with 4–6 MM [million] barrels of condensate [petrol]. A large, but higher risk stratigraphic play with a prospective resource in the order of 600 BCF gas and 21 MM barrels of condensate has also been identified within this permit [‘Pungarehu’]. Further seismic is planned for 2011 to mature this lead.” – Mosaic website
“Reprocessing of the Te Kiri 3D and vintage 2D seismic lines is in progress. The Tohu 2D seismic survey has commenced. The first well is to be drilled by May 2011.” – Todd Energy document
Survey company BTW has started further seismic surveying in recent weeks along the coast between Okato and Rahotu. Some landowners are stopping the survey by denying access to their land. We have written to and phoned many of the landowners encouraging them to stop access and inviting them to the public meeting on 22nd March in Okato.
:: AN OFFSHORE EXAMPLE: PEP 51558 – ‘Parihaka’
‘Parihaka’ is an offshore permit. The operator is AWE and it is owned by AWE (30%), NZOG (20%), Todd Energy (20%) and Mitsui EGP Australia (30%). This permit covers 2850 sq km northwest of New Plymouth and they are planning one exploration well by 2012.
