New Zealand’s offshore exploration prospects have risen after a renewed interest in the region.
Today, Shell New Zealand, and its partners OMV New Zealand and Mitsui E&P Australia, announced plans to drill an exploration well in Production Exploration Permit (PEP) 50119, off New Zealand’s southeast coast, in the Great South basin. Drilling is targeted for summer 2016.
Shell’s operations will follow operations by Anadarko Petroleum in the region. Anadarko is currently drilling the first exploration well of a 2-3 well program in the deepwater Taranaki and the Canterbury basins. Taranaki is New Zealand’s only producing basin, according to New Zealand Oil & Gas.
Image: PEP 51906.
OMV is currently drilling the Matuku-1 exploration well, using the Kan Tan IV semisubmersible rig in the northeast of PEP 51906.
The well, in about 130m water depth, is targeting the hydrocarbon potential of the Kapuni Group Farewell formation F sandstone reservoir.
Today, OMV also started a new 3D seismic survey, called Kaka, in the same permit, in the offshore Taranaki basin, said New Zealand’s Octanex, a partner in PEP 51906.
The survey will acquire about 400sq km of new 3D seismic data from within and adjacent to PEP 51906.
OMV New Zealand said the survey vessel Polarcus Alima is being used for the survey, using an array of 10, 8km-long cables spaced 100m apart, according to joint venture partner Octanex.
OMV New Zealand is operator with 65% WI. Partners are Octanex NZ, with 22.5%, and Australia and New Zealand Petroleum, with 12.5% (a subsidiary of New Zealand Oil & Gas).
New Zealand Oil & Gas today said it had completed a 3D seismic survey covering about 650sq km in the Clipper PEP 52717, East of Oamarum using the Polarcus Alima.
The survey included an extension into the Galleon PEP 55792, immediately southwest of Clipper.The Clipper and Galleon permits are in the Canterbury Basin.
New Zealand Oil & Gas has a 50% interest in Clipper and is the operator. The remaining 50% is held by Beach Energy. New Zealand Oil & Gas holds 100% in Galleon.
Last month (December), the New Zealand Government announced license awards in its Block Offer 2013.
Five offshore permits were awarded in the Reinga-Northland basin, Offshore Taranaki, and Great South basin (South-Canterbury).
The winners were:
Statoil's permit covers about 10,000sq km about 100km offshore to the west of New Zealand's North Island, in 1000-2000m water depths.
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