Operator Australian Worldwide Exploration today said the semi-submersible rig Ocean Patriot spudded Taranui-1 at 6.30am Monday and was now more than 227m down, having set and cemented 30-inch casing.
The Taranui prospect is located in the Tui mining licence PMP 38158, about 15km northeast of the Tui production facilities, and is estimated to contain between 5-15 million barrels of recoverable oil.
The well is being drilled in a water depth of 121m and has a planned total depth of about 3900m.
After Taranui, the Ocean Patriot will move to drill the West Cape-1 wildcat in PEP 38481 and Kopuwai-1 in PEP 38482.
The Tui partners are operator AWE (42.5%), Mitsui E&P NZ (35%), New Zealand Oil & Gas (12.5%) and Pan Pacific Petroleum (10%).
