Last summer, which saw the Ocean Bounty drill four wells for various joint ventures, was the busiest exploration season Taranaki had seen for many years. Now there are rumours that this summer will be even busier, with the possible return of the Bounty, or the arrival of the sister vessel Ocean Epoch, or even a Sedco or Ensco jack-up rig for perhaps a six-well program.
It is known the PEP 38460 partners are anxious to drill another well in their licence to appraise the small but commercial Tui oil discovery of last summer. It is also known that Indo-Pacific and partner Durum Energy are looking at drilling an exploratory well in their licence PEP 38480, adjacent to the possible 1tcf Pohokura gas-condensate discovery.
Also there are rumours that the Maui-Pohokura partners, of Shell New Zealand, Todd Energy and OMV Petroleum, are contemplating taking advantage of any rig mobilisation to drill a wildcat well in either PEP 38481 or 482 west of Maui, and perhaps one into the bypassed Ihi pocket of gas within the Maui mining licence.
New Zealand Oil and Gas and its PEP 38478 partners could also utilise any rig to drill a wildcat into their promising looking Mangatoa prospect near the northern offshore tip of the Taranaki Basin.
Further, it is understood an ambitious OMV and its PEP 38413 partners could decide to drill another appraisal well in the Maari oil field, or even within another prospect within that licence south of Maui.
As well, if Genesis Power appoints an operator for its Kupe field as planned next month, the successful company _ rumoured to be either of two Aussie firms Santos and Origin Energy _ could decide to drill an appraisal well in that offshore South Taranaki field this summer as it moves to have that field developed by 2006-07.
Indo-Pacific chief executive Dave Bennett told EnergyReview.Net that he had had some general discussions with Ensco regarding rig availability this summer. Indo-Pacific believed Orca, within PEP 38480, was a drillable prospect, given the results of 3D seismic shot earlier this year.
NZOG Eric Matthews told ERN from Sydney that, based on the results of 3D seismic shot earlier this year, PEP 38460 operator Transworld, NZOG and the other partners were keen to appraise their Tui oil discovery within the Kapuni F sands, the same sands which produce oil at Maui, 20km to the south. They might also drill the associated Pukeko prospect, another Kapuni F sands closure extending over 40 sqkm and with the potential to hold 100 million barrels plus of oil.
He declined to comment further, except to say: "The realisation that there is more to be done in offshore Taranaki leads me to expect to see a drilling program this summer not limited to just one well by NZOG and its partners."
