Block Offer 2015

We received 32 submissions - 12 from Māori groups and 20 from local authorities. NZP&M reviewed the submissions and made recommendations to the Minister of Energy and Resources.

In response the Minister made the following changes to the final tender:

1. The size of the release area in offshore Taranaki was reduced:
   The Minister reviewed advice on commercial interest and the prospectivity of the offshore Taranaki release area (15TAR-R1). The final area put for tender has been reduced, removing some parts to the north which overlapped with the territorial sea. The total release area is now 53,253 square kilometres (compared with 61,485 square kilometres in the original proposal.
2. Permits granted in the Offshore Taranaki release area must comply with the Code of Conduct for Seismic Surveying:
   The Minister has determined that any permit granted for Block Offer 2015 that overlaps with the North Island West Coast Marine Mammal Sanctuary will require the permit holder to adhere to the Department of Conservation’s 2013 Code of Conduct for Minimising Acoustic Disturbance to Marine Mammals from Seismic Surveying Operations.
3. Permit requirements for Onshore Taranaki:
   Permits granted for Block Offer 2015 in onshore Taranaki will require the permit holder to give Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui 20 days’ written notice of any petroleum exploration activity to be undertaken within 200m of the Tangahoe, Patea and Whenuakura rivers.

Block Offer 2015 was announced in late March 2015 and had a total acreage of 429,289km². The tender closed in September and bids were assessed according to criteria set out in the Crown Minerals Act 1991, the Petroleum Programme 2013 and the Block Offer 2014 Invitation for Bids.

Assessors considered the bidder’s work programme and other criteria including their technical and financial capability, their compliance history and their likely ability to meet health, safety and environmental requirements.

In December 2015 Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges announced nine new petroleum exploration permits.

Onshore permits

Petrochem

Three onshore permits in the Taranaki basin have been granted to Petrochem Ltd.

• PEP 60097 (6 square kilometres)
• PEP 60098 (62 square kilometres)
• PEP 60099 (53 square kilometres)

All three permits are for 10 years.

The committed work programmes for all three permits include geological studies to assess results from recently drilled wells and seismic reprocessing which, combined with new well drilling results, will help develop the geological models.

Petrochem is a subsidiary of Greymouth Petroleum Limited, who hold exploration and production assets in both onshore and offshore Taranaki.

Offshore permits

OMV NZ Limited

Four offshore permits in the Taranaki basin have been granted to OMV NZ Limited, in partnership with Mitsui E&P Australia Pty Ltd.

• PEP 60089 (2,315 square kilometres)
• PEP 60091 (2,242 square kilometres)
• PEP 60092 (2,364 square kilometres)
• PEP 60093 (2,136 square kilometres)

All four permits are for 12 years.

The committed work programmes for all three permits include studies and seismic reprocessing.

OMV are one of New Zealand's leading exploration companies. Their portfolio include interests in the Maui, Pohokura and Maari fields in the Taranaki basin. OMV New Zealand is a wholly-owned subsidiary of OMV Austria's largest listed industrial company.

Todd Exploration Limited

Todd Exploration have been granted one 12-year offshore permit in the Taranaki basin.

PEP 60094 has an area of 2,151 square kilometres

Todd Exploration Limited is owned by Todd Corporation, the largest privately-owned energy company in New Zealand. Todd has oil and gas exploration and production interests, and retails natural gas and LPG.

Mont D’Or Resources Ltd

Mont D’Or have been granted a 12-year offshore exploration permit in the Taranaki basin.

PEP 60095 has an area of 782 square kilometres.

Based in Singapore, Mont D’Or’s producing assets are in Indonesia. Mont D’Or were previously awarded an exploration permit in the onshore East Coast Basin for Block Offer 2013.

Their committed work programme for this new permit includes acquisition of geochemical data and geological studies (including prospectivity mapping).