New Zealand offers 430,000 sq km in Block Offer 2015
WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- New Zealand's Energy and Resources Minister, Simon Bridges, has launched Block Offer 2015, the country's annual tender for oil and gas exploration permits.
“Block Offer 2015 includes three onshore release areas: one in the Taranaki basin and two in the West Coast basin. There are four offshore release areas, in the Reinga-Northland basin, Taranaki basin, Pegasus basin, and Great South-Canterbury basin,” Bridges said.
The total acreage included in the tender is 429,298 km2. This includes 4,093 km2 onshore and 425,205 km2 offshore.
“New Zealand has built a strong, world-class regulatory framework to provide for economic opportunities, while also ensuring the necessary environmental and safety protections. The process for awarding permits is rigorous,” Bridges said.
“It is clear that companies are seeking frontier acreage and long-term opportunities like those which New Zealand has to offer, and this Government remains committed to attracting major international companies to invest in exploration and development in this country,” he added.
The tender will close on Sept. 30, 2015. Permits for Block Offer 2015 will likely be granted in December 2015.
The onshore areas being tendered are:
• 15TAR-R2: onshore Taranaki (1,039 km2)
• 15WEC-R1: onshore West Coast (2,007 km2)
• 15WEC-R2: onshore West Coast (1,046 km2)
The offshore areas being tendered are:
• 15NRN-R1: offshore Northland-Reinga (186,181 km2)
• 15TAR-R1: offshore Taranaki (53,253 km2)
• 15PEG-R1: offshore Pegasus/East Coast (44,015 km2)
• 15GSC-R1: offshore Great-South Canterbury (141,757 km2)
