Field operator Shell Todd Oil Services – jointly owned by Shell and Todd – recently advertised for a project leader to “successfully implement the Kapuni full field compression project from concept definition through to hand-over and project completion”.

STOS and Todd Energy have declined to comment on the project, but Todd managing director Richard Tweedie has previously said compression would help maintain reservoir pressures at Kapuni, which would optimise use of the three-train processing plant operated by Vector subsidiary NGC next door to the STOS plant at Kapuni.

NGC has an entitlement to 50% of all Kapuni gas and Todd and Shell separately sell their respective 25% shares.

Crown Minerals says ultimate recovery from Kapuni, New Zealand’s first major gas find, was first forecast at about 1.4 trillion cubic feet of gas, but the field has already produced over 1.6Tcf and it is expected to continue for at least another decade.

However, annual production, which has been as high as 80-90 billion cubic feet several decades ago and 50-70Bcf during the 1990s, is now only about 26-30Bcf.