Further onshore and offshore exploration blocks offers – covering parts of Taranaki and the East Coast not already permitted - are scheduled to support this demand for new acreage, says Crown Minerals.

The blocks will be additional to the Outer Taranaki and Northland Basins offers – bids for which close on December 2.

Offshore Taranaki and offshore East Coast blocks offers are be released later this year, while onshore Taranaki and onshore East Block blocks will be released in 2006, associate energy minister Harry Duynhoven told EnergyReview.net this morning.

“Obviously, I am very pleased to be able to announce that we are making this additional acreage available," Duynhoven said.

"Some is acreage that has been relinquished, while some is acreage we believe is prospective and have been holding to make attractive block offers as possible. We want to see as much work, as much activity, going on as possible.”

Duynhoven said the exact number and location of these blocks would be determined nearer the time of announcement, and some might depend on the further surrender of currently permitted areas.

If additional prospective acreage in other basins was released during this period, additional blocks offers might also be announced.

Consideration would be given to releasing acreage currently not available for “priority in time” (PIT) applications (previously known as Acceptable Frontier Offers or AFOs). If this was done, Crown Minerals would further announce dates when acreage under the PIT applications became available.