“I am very interested in working with [Crown Minerals group manager] Adam Feeley and others in government to develop solutions, to help this country explore and develop its petroleum resources as efficiently and as quickly as possible,” the just-elected chairman of the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand (PEPANZ) told EnergyReview.net today.
“While there have been some good government initiatives over the past two years, I believe that together we can do more to support the energy industry long-term,” said Cunningham who is also Swift Energy New Zealand principal executive officer.
PEPANZ saw four areas – policy, fiscal and taxation, health and safety, and information technology – as being of major importance to the industry and had set up committees to liaise with government on each of these, according to Cunningham.
The current global climate of high oil prices, coupled with tight rig and equipment availability, made it all the more important for New Zealand to move swiftly to ensure it could attract the capital and resources necessary to reverse its continuing decline in self-sufficiency – down from about 50% a few years ago to now below 18%.
Cunningham said issues likely to be raised with Crown Minerals, or other Ministry for Economic Development units, included measures such as simplifying petroleum exploration permit block applications and work program requirements, faster turn-arounds of relinquished acreage, and greater incentives for exploration, development and production.
PEPANZ also wanted to see improved industry training, including health and safety in employment, better availability of manpower and equipment, and updating of industry databases on resources, basins and acreage.
“We need to concentrate on measures that will lower overall economic costs, optimise performance and reflect changing national or international conditions,” he said.
Cunningham has replaced former chairman, and Bridge Petroleum executive director, Kevin Johnson, who is now PEPANZ deputy chairman.
