Christchurch-based Kenham Holdings Ltd, associate of South Island alluvial gold mining company L&M Mining Ltd, has been awarded four of the six new permits: a 173 sq km permit (PEP 38221) over a lignite field in Southland between Edendale and Invercargill, a 540 sq km permit (PEP 38515) over the Stockton plateau near Westport, a 344 sq km permit (PEP 38611) near Meremere in north Waikato, and a 125 sq km area (PEP 38610) over the Kamo coalfield on the northern outskirts of Whangarei.
A new entrant into coalbed methane exploration, Bridge Petroleum Ltd, has been granted two permits in the south Waikato-King Country area. Bridge is operator and holds a 50% interest in both permits with partner Westech Energy New Zealand Ltd. The permits are PEP 38612, a 1113 sq km area extending east of Kawhia Harbour and south to Otorohanga, Te Kuiti and Benneydale, and PEP 38613, a 1978 sq km adjoining area to the east and south extending to Taumaranui and Raurimu.
There are now 15 coalbed methane permits in New Zealand, of which Kenham holds 11, Bridge two, Resource Development Technology LLC one, and Macdonald Investments Ltd one.
