Although only a small task, the move is further proof of Swift Energy's commitment to the New Zealand scene, following last year's opening of its $US25 million Rimu production station in south Taranaki and its purchase of the Tawn licences and facilities from Shell New Zealand in 2001.

Westech Energy New Zealand downstream operations director Kevin Johnson told EnergyReview.Net today that Westech had contracted Swift Energy New Zealand (SENZ) to look after operations at the Surrey-1 well site in onshore Taranaki.

Although operations at Surrey-1 could be remotely monitored from Auckland, Johnson's home base, or Denver, where Westech is headquartered, it was still necessary for SENZ staff to regularly inspect the Surrey facilities and the tie-in to the nearby high-pressure pipeline.

Last month NGC Holdings signed a two-year agreement with Westech for the purchase of at least a Petajoule of gas a year from the small Surrey field in licence PEP 38734. Westech also has an arrangement with Shell NZ regarding the transportation and export from Port Taranaki of the more than 100 barrels of oil a day that is produced from the shallow Miocene-aged sandstones at Surrey-1.

Johnson said Westech, a subsidiary of Energy Corporation of America, was continuing to evaluate its Windsor discovery, in nearby PEP 38732, with a view to commercialising that field, as well as planning to drill two more wells in the Surrey field within the next six months or so.