Sydney-headquartered AWE reported today that, as at 6am, the Ocean Patriot semi-submersible rig was drilling ahead at a measured depth of 3110m. Progress for the week was 1604m.

AWE said the Eocene-aged Kapuni C sands, the well’s primary target, had been intersected but without significant hydrocarbon shows.

The well would now be drilled to 3870m to evaluate the deeper Kapuni D and Kapuni F10 reservoir targets.

The Kapuni F sand sequence is productive at the nearby Tui, Amokura and Pateke oil pools and also at the Maui gas field.

Hector-1 is the first well of four exploration wells to be drilled by different AWE-led consortiums off Taranaki, following the successful recent completion of the four Tui Area development wells further north in mining licence PMP 38158.

Following Hector-1, the Ocean Patriot will drill the near field appraisal well, Taranui-1, in PMP 38158, followed by the West Cape-1 well in PEP 38481 and Kopuwai-1 in PEP 38482.

The PEP 38483 partners are operator AWE (44.3%), New Zealand Oil & Gas (through its subsidiary Stewart Petroleum, 18.9%), Mitsui E&P New Zealand (22.7%), and Pan Pacific Petroleum (through its subsidiary WM Petroleum (14.1%).