Oil and gas industry in New Zealand
The oil and gas industry in New Zealand explores and develops oil and gas fields, and produces petroleum products and natural gas.
In 2014, New Zealand's self-sufficiency in oil (mmbls production divided by consumption) was 39%, i.e. the country imports over half its petroleum product needs (though actual imports are higher, as some of the local product is also exported).[1] In 2014, 83.5 petajoules of crude were produced in New Zealand, 225 PJ of petroleum products imported (most of it crude), and 246 PJ consumed. The difference is exported or used for international travel (aviation fuel and similar).[1]
Oil and gas are produced from 21 petroleum licenses / permits, all in the Taranaki basin.[2] The most important fields are Kapuni, Maui, Pohokura and Kupe. Exploration for oil and gas reserves includes the Great South Basin and offshore areas near Canterbury and Gisborne.
New Zealand has one oil refinery, the Marsden Point Oil Refinery. The major industry body is the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand.
There are 2,600 kilometres of high-pressure natural gas transmission pipelines in the North Island.[3] They are owned and operated by Vector, except for the Maui pipeline, which is operated by Vector, but owned by the Maui Mining Companies. Vector also owns most of the low pressure gas pipelines that distribute gas to end users. The largest retailers of gas are Contact Energy and Vector.[4] There is no natural gas transmission in the South Island.[5] New Zealand has one underground gas storage facility, the Ahuroa Gas Storage Facility.
History
In 1865, the Alpha well was drilled near Mikotahi at New Plymouth.[6] This was the first oil well in what is now the Commonwealth and one of the first in the world. A petroleum industry developed at Moturoa, including producing wells and refineries. The last refinery there was closed in 1972. The field continues to produce small quantities of oil.[7]
Oil and gas fields
Proven and probable (P50) reserves, ultimate and remaining, as at 1 January 2015[1]
Producing fields
| Field | Ultimate oil recoverable (mmbbls) |
Remaining oil reserves (mmbbls) |
Ultimate gas recoverable (PJ) |
Remaining gas reserves (PJ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kapuni | 67 | 1 | 1,040 | 48 |
| Kupe | 18 | 10 | 370 | 257 |
| Maari | 49 | 23 | ||
| Mangahewa | 12 | 9 | 398 | 280 |
| Maui | 174 | 14 | 4,560 | 421 |
| McKee | 50 | 2 | 234 | 42 |
| Pohokura | 64 | 29 | 1,509 | 930 |
| Tui | 43 | 6 | ||
| Turangi | 9 | 7 | 264 | 213 |
| Others | 56 | 14 | 410 | 111 |
| Total | 541 | 115 | 8,784 | 2,301 |
See also
References
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