Document Actions
2008
Revised draft “Minerals Programme for Minerals (Excluding Petroleum) 2008”
25 January 2008 - The revised draft “Minerals Programme for Minerals (Excluding Petroleum) 2008”, and the Chief Executive’s report to the Associate Minister of Energy on the submissions received and recommendations, can now be viewed via the links below. The revised draft is to be publicly notified on Saturday, 26 January 2008, in major national newspapers.
Trans-Orient plans multi-well programme in onshore East Coast
28 January 2008 - CANADIAN-based explorer Trans-Orient Petroleum Ltd plans a multi-well drilling campaign in its onshore East Coast Basin acreage as well possibly redrilling shallow oil and gas wells.
Drilling of Kupe production wells reaches halfway
28 January 2008 - Drilling of the three production wells at the Kupe gas condensate project offshore from south Taranaki in PML 38146 is making good progress with each well reaching over halfway.
Pike River plans to complete all rock drilling before starting on coal
28 January 2008 - Pike River Coal has decided to complete all rock tunnelling including its pit bottom facilities before driving across the Hawera fault into the first coal seam.
Spring Creek underground coal mine resumes production
28 January 2008 - Spring Creek underground coal mine near Greymouth, a joint venture between Solid Energy and Cargill, has resumed coal production following a 14 month $25 million redevelopment to access 3.1 million tonnes of semi-soft coking coal.
New Minerals Programme and Regulations for Minerals and Coal comes into force
2 February 2008 - The Associate Minister of Energy, Hon Harry Duynhoven, announced that the Minerals Programme for Minerals (Excluding Petroleum) 2008 and the Crown Minerals (Minerals and Coal) Regulations 2007 both came into force from 1 February 2008.
Additional supplementary Notice for the Onshore Taranaki Blocks Offer
07 February 2008 – An additional supplementary notice has been released for the Onshore Taranaki Blocks Offer.
Origin and Contact acquire Swift Energy’s NZ interests
8 February 2008 - Australian-based Origin Energy and its 51% owned New Zealand subsidiary Contact Energy have bought most of Swift Energy’s New Zealand oil and gas assets for approximately NZ$115 million.
Closure of New Plymouth power station
8 February 2008 - Contact Energy has announced it has officially closed its gas-fired New Plymouth power station.
L&M Petroleum plans more 2008 drilling
13 February 2008 - Wellington-based L&M Petroleum Ltd expects to drill between two to five wells in 2008 in its West Southland permits and a new interest on the South Island’s West Coast.
Two seismic vessels make progress in Great South Basin
13 February 2008 - A large two-vessel seismic data acquisition programme underway in the Great South Basin is making good progress despite delays caused by poor weather and ocean swells.
Kupe pipeline laying completed by specialist vessel Apache
15 February 2008 - The 30 km pipeline that will carry Kupe gas and condensate from the offshore field has been laid by the pipelaying vessel Apache, project operator Origin Energy says.
Maari oil field may have additional 37 million barrels, Horizon says
15 February 2008 - The greater Maari oil field in offshore Taranaki has an updip potential which could increase the field’s current planned 50 million barrels to total reserves of 87 million barrels, junior partner Horizon Oil says.
OceanaGold finds new underground gold mine prospect at Macraes
15 February 2008 - OceanaGold Corporation, which has just commissioned its first underground gold mine at Macraes, says it has located another underground panel under the first pit drilled at the east Otago mine.
Contact plans to increase size of gas-fired peaking station to 300MW
19 Febraury 2008 - Contact Energy intends to boost the size of its planned gas-fired peaking plant at Stratford in Taranaki to up to 300 MW compared with the 100 MW size which the company announced in November last year
Strong Tui field performance lifts projected oil output again
19 Febraury 2008 - Strong performance by the Tui oil field in offshore Taranaki has prompted Sydney-based operator Australian Worldwide Exploration to again revise upward oil production targets.
AWE plans for future exploration in Taranaki and Canterbury
26 February 2008 - AWE, which now operates the largest number of offshore Taranaki exploration permits, is carrying out a large programme of assessment and interpretation in this acreage and has also become operator of its Canterbury permit.
Two extra Kupe wells may be drilled NZOG says
26 February 2008 - The Kupe field partners are considering drilling two extra wells after the initial three development wells are completed, one of the partners New Zealand Oil & Gas says in its December quarter report.
Additional supplementary Notice for the Onshore Taranaki Blocks Offer
27 February 2008 - The third supplementary notice has been released for the Onshore Taranaki Blocks Offer.
Petroleum Conference focuses on New Zealand’s potential in the face of global influences
5 March 2008 - The biennial New Zealand Petroleum Conference, being held at Auckland’s Sky City Convention Centre from 9-12 March, brings together those organisations and people intending to participate in petroleum exploration and development in New Zealand. Some are already active in developing what is recognised as one of the world’s most promising regions.
Solid Energy says coal export prices could double this year
10 March 2008 - Solid Energy is expecting export prices for both coking and thermal coals to possibly double in price from July this year as world coal prices boom and supplies tighten.
Solid Energy seeks large extension to Huntly East underground mine
10 March 2008 - Solid Energy is seeking consents for an $85 million expansion to the Huntly East underground coal mine in the Waikato to supply most of the coal to fire New Zealand Steel’s Glenbrook steel plant.
Eastern wins coal contract for second Canterbury dairy plant
10 March 2008 - Queensland-based coal company Eastern Corporation Ltd’s Takitimu mine in the Ohai area of Southland has won a contract to supply coal to a new independent dairy plant in South Canterbury.
Reefton mill modifications help boost gold output
10 March 2008 - Mill modifications at OceanaGold Corporation’s new Reefton mine on the West Coast of the South Island have boosted gold output while exploration has added to reserves.
Austral Pacific well produces from Urenui formation
25 March 2008 - Austral Pacific Energy has begun producing from its first Urenui formation production well at its Cheal oil field in onshore Taranaki.
Solid Energy flares coal seam gas tests and looks at gasifying deep coal seams
25 March 2008 - Solid Energy is flaring gas to test flow rates from appraisal wells at its Huntly coal seam gas project.
Methanex looks at start up of half Motunui methanol plant
25 March 2008 - Methanex is looking at the possibility of restarting part of the mothballed Motunui methanol plant in Taranaki.
Discovery Geo to drill Awakino South-1 in offshore Taranaki mid year
26 March 2008 - Texas-based explorer Discovery Geo Corporation plans to drill the Awakino South-1 well offshore from the north Taranaki coast in mid-year using the Ensco-56 jackup rig now drilling at Pohokura.
New Zealand Petroleum Conference: Beyond 08
26 March 2008 - March 2008 saw Crown Minerals host the biennial NZ Petroleum Conference at Auckland’s SkyCity Convention Centre. This was made possible with the generous support of a number of sponsors including Major Sponsors, Westpac Institutional Bank, Genesis Energy, Bell Gully, and Fugro.
More gas discoveries needed Minister of Energy says
1 April 2008 - New Zealand will need more gas discoveries even though the Government had set a target of generating 90% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025, the Minister of Energy the Hon David Parker told the New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
NZ oil exports now 70% of oil imports new quarterly statistics show
1 April 2008 - A new quarterly survey of energy statistics and trends shows that exports of New Zealand-produced oil equalled almost 70% of import oil volumes in the December quarter of 2007.
Seafloor minerals explorer Neptune Minerals sets up Wellington office
1 April 2008 - Neptune Minerals plc, an international explorer for seafloor gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc is planning a programme of continuous exploration in northern New Zealand offshore waters called Project Trident.
New major gold-bearing structures in Otago, Glass Earth says
1 April 2008 - Wellington-based gold explorer Glass Earth Gold Ltd says it is exploring new major gold-bearing structures in Otago similar to that hosting Macraes gold mine containing 8 million oz in resources and production.
Origin plans deepwater well on potential giant prospect off Dunedin
14 April 2008 - Source: Origin Energy and Lindsay Clark - Origin Energy has identified a large double structure in the deepwater Canterbury Basin offshore from Dunedin. The company believes that this prospect has the potential to be a giant oil or gas field.
Origin looks to drill shallow offshore prospect south-west of Auckland
14 April 2008 - Source: Origin Energy and Lindsay Clark - Origin Energy and joint venture partner OMV have developed four potential hydrocarbon prospects in exploration permit PEP 38619 located in the shallow waters of the Northland Basin south west of Auckland.
Coal seam gas could supply 5-10% of NZ’s gas needs
14 April 2008 - (Sources: Resource Development Technology, MBA Petroleum Consultants and Lindsay Clark). Coal seam gas could supply from 5 to 10% of New Zealand’s gas supply, Steve Stepanek of Denver-based Resource Development Technology LLC told the New Zealand Petroleum Conference.
Oil may have profound effect on NZ economy says US investment manager
17 April 2008 - Source: Buechler NZ Petroleum Conference presentation - US investment manager William J Buechler says successful oil exploration could have a profound positive impact on the New Zealand economy.
Discovery Geo to drill well in onshore Wairarapa, East Coast Basin
17 April 2008 - Source: Discovery Geo and Lindsay Clark - Texas-based Discovery Geo Corporation plans to drill the first modern era petroleum well in the onshore Wairarapa area of the East Coast Basin from late March.
Hyundai joins Global Resources to explore Taranaki Basin
22 April 2008 - (Source: Crown Minerals) Korean company Hyundai Hysco will join the hunt for oil and gas in the deepwater Taranaki Basin, the Ministry of Economic Development announced today.
Contact orders 200 MW gas-fired peaking turbines for Stratford
30 April 2008 - Source: Contact Energy and Lindsay Clark - Contact Energy has placed an order for two fast-start gas-fired turbine peaking units which are expected to be generating power by the winter of 2010.
Kupe production drilling completed and Momoho-1 well to drill next
30 April 2008 - Source: Origin Energy and Lindsay Clark - The drilling phase of the Kupe gas condensate project has been successfully completed and the joint venture partners have announced plans to immediately drill the Momoho prospect, 6 km south of the Kupe platform.
Solid Energy expects greater output and profit in second half and 2009
30 April 2008 - Source: Solid Energy and Lindsay Clark - Energy producer, Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd, has made an after-tax loss of $2.7 million for the first half of its financial year to 31 December 2007 but is expecting a recovery for the full year and a strong result in the 2009 year.
Widespread Energy wins new permit off West Coast
30 April 2008 - Source: Widespread Energy and Lindsay Clark - New Zealand-based exploration company Widespread Energy Ltd has been awarded an offshore West Coast South Island exploration.
Tui oil transforms NZOG’s financial position in six months
30 April 2008 - Source: NZOG and Lindsay Clark - New Zealand Oil & Gas Ltd’s financial position has “quite literally been transformed” in just six months with the start-up of the Tui oil field, the company says in its half year report to 31 December 2007.
Marsden Point oil refinery expansion project underway
30 April 2008 - Source: NZ Refining and Lindsay Clark - Detailed engineering is nearly completed for the $180 million expansion project at the Marsden Point oil refinery near Whangarei, the New Zealand Refining Company says.
L&M Petroleum finds gas shows at Fireball Creek-1
5 May 2008 - Source: L&M Petroleum and Lindsay Clark - Explorer L&M Petroleum has located gas shows in its Fireball Creek-1 well in the onshore Westland Basin PEP 38521 south of Hokitika.
Auzex locates molybdenum and copper anomaly at Mt Radiant
12 May 2008, Source: Auzex Resources and Lindsay Clark - Auzex Resources has identified a well defined molybdenum and copper prospect at Mt Radiant, inland from Karamea in the Buller area of the South Island West Coast.
Auzex finds encouraging gold assays from Lyell and Kirwan
12 May 2008, Source: Auzex Resources and Lindsay Clark - The Australian and New Zealand mineral explorer Auzex Resources has reported highly encouraging gold assays from its Lyell gold field’s permit which is a northern extension of the Reefton gold field.
Newmont Waihi gold sales up 121% in first quarter
12 May 2008, Source: Newmont Mining Corporation and Lindsay Clark - Gold sales from Newmont Waihi operations were up 121% in the first quarter of 2008 from the first quarter of 2007, Newmont Mining Corporation reports.
Gas hydrates off East Coast could be future gas resource
28 May 2008, Source: GNS Science and Lindsay Clark - Frozen gas hydrates which lies just below the seabed deep off New Zealand’s East Coast may contain a future resource of over 8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, says Stuart Henrys, a senior research scientist at GNS Science.
Maari oil field platform installed and FPSO Raroa arrives
28 May 2008, Sources: Horizon Oil, Cue Energy and Lindsay Clark - The Maari wellhead platform is now installed at New Zealand’s largest oilfield offshore Taranaki and the floating production storage and offloading vessel Raroa arrived on site.
Pike River tunnel on track to intersect coal in July
28 May 2008, Source: Pike River Coal and Lindsay Clark - Pike River Coal Ltd’s coal mine development on the South Island West Coast has completed its eastern pit bottom in rock and is now beginning the final push across the Hawera Fault and into its coking coal target.
Eastern produces $1.2 m of coal in first quarter
28 May 2008, Source: Eastern Corporation and Lindsay Clark - Queensland-based coal company Eastern Corporation Ltd has increased coal sales to $1,225,000 in the first quarter of 2008 from its two South Island production mines.
Heritage Gold flies Waihi aeromag and starts drilling Rahu holes
28 May 2008, Source: Heritage Gold and Lindsay Clark - Gold explorer Heritage Gold has flown an aeromagnetic survey near Waihi in the southern Coromandel and begun drilling at Rahu in its Karangahake tenements.
Strong gas and condensate test flows from Kupe field
05 June 2008, Source: NZOG and Lindsay Clark - The three Kupe field production wells have together test flowed a total of over 115 million standard cubic feet a day and a condensate flow of over 15,000 barrels a day, one of the Kupe partners New Zealand Oil & Gas (NZOG) reports.
Pohokura gas-condensate field completed
05 June 2008, Source: Shell Exploration NZ and Lindsay Clark - New Zealand’s biggest natural gas and condensate field Pohokura just offshore from New Plymouth has been completed, operator Shell Exploration NZ Ltd announced on behalf of the joint venture owners.
L&M Coal Seam Gas awarded permit in south Waikato
05 June 2008, Source: L&M Group and Lindsay Clark - Christchurch-based L&M Coal Seam Gas Limited has been granted an exploration permit over a large area of south Waikato.
Macraes underground gold grades expected to rise further
10 June 2008, Source: OceanaGold and Lindsay Clark - Gold grades from the Frasers underground mine at OceanaGold’s Macraes mine in east Otago has improved and grades are expected to increase further this year, OceanaGold says.
Reefton mine produces 18,000 oz in qtr as plant exceeds design
10 June 2008, Source: OceanaGold and Lindsay Clark - OceanaGold’s gold mine at Reefton is performing above expectations producing 18,204 oz during the first quarter of 2008, the company says in its March quarter report.
L&M Petroleum awarded second West Coast permit
12 June 2008, Source: L&M Petroleum and Lindsay Clark - An L&M Petroleum-led joint venture has been granted a second exploration permit in the Westland Basin of the South Island, adjoining the acreage where it recently drilled the Fireball Creek-1 well.
Greymouth acquires Swift’s Kowhai onshore Taranaki discovery
12 June 2008, Source: Greymouth Petroleum and Lindsay Clark - Auckland-based private petroleum explorer Greymouth Petroleum has bought the remaining portion of Swift’s New Zealand oil and gas assets from Swift Energy Corporation.
North Canterbury onshore well Kate-1 plugged
12 June 2008, Source: Gas2Grid and Lindsay Clark - The onshore North Canterbury well Kate-1 drilled by private company Green Gate Ltd and its Australian-based farm-in partner Gas2Grid Ltd has been plugged and abandoned after reaching a total depth of 1,112 metres.
More gas availability enables Methanex to restart Motunui plant
12 June 2008, Sources: Methanex, Contact Energy and Lindsay Clark - Improved natural gas supply in New Zealand has prompted Methanex Corporation to restart one of the twin-trains at it’s idled methanol plant at Motunui, near New Plymouth.
Origin extends Canterbury permit over Carrack-Caravel prospects
12 June 2008, Source: Origin Energy and Lindsay Clark - Origin Energy has been awarded a 940 sq km extension to one of its Canterbury Basin permits PEP 38262 to fully cover the large deepwater prospects Carrack and Caravel about 50 km offshore from Dunedin.
Tui FPSO contract extension will produce extra 5m barrels of oil
12 June 2008, Source: AWE and Lindsay Clark - A three-year extension to the charter for the Tui oil field’s FPSO vessel Umuroa will allow at least five million barrels more oil to be recovered from the field, operator AWE Ltd says.
Macdonald-Chartwell awarded two coal seam gas permits
13 June 2008, Source: Macdonald-Chartwell joint venture and Lindsay Clark - The Macdonald-Chartwell coal seam gas joint venture has been awarded two coal seam gas exploration permits in Waikato-Thames Valley area and in the Buller area of the South Island’s west coast.
L&M Petroleum identifies coal seam gas prospects in Southland
19 June 2008, Source: L&M Petroleum and Lindsay Clark - L&M Petroleum Ltd says it has identified coal seam gas potential within the company’s onshore Western Southland Basin permit areas containing up to 300 billion cubic feet of resource near the Ohai coalfield.
Tui operator AWE plans merger with Perth-based ARC Energy
19 June 2008, Source: AWE and Lindsay Clark - One of the most active explorers in New Zealand’s offshore Taranaki Basin, Sydney-based Australian Worldwide Exploration Ltd is to grow bigger by a proposed takeover of another Australian explorer ARC Energy Ltd.
Underworld drilling at both Oturehua and Thames projects
2 July 2008, Source: Underworld Resources and Lindsay Clark - Underworld Resources Inc, the New Zealand-based mineral explorer listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, has begun gold drilling in Central Otago in the South Island and near Thames in the North Island.
Grey River gold dredge permit area tripled in size
2 July 2008, Sources: Birchfield Minerals and Lindsay Clark - The large Grey River alluvial gold dredge inland from Greymouth has been granted an extension to its mining permit area almost tripling its potential mineable acreage.
Neptune sees attractive margins in seafloor massive sulphides
2 July 2008, Source: Neptune Minerals and Lindsay Clark - Attractive economic margins are possible from mining seafloor massive sulphides on deep undersea volcanoes in New Zealand waters, an engineering scoping study for Neptune Minerals indicates.