The first hydrocarbon discoveries in New Zealand's nonproducing East Coast basin are giving way to several seismic surveys in the region.
Seismic data acquired over onshore PEP 38328 have confirmed the Maimai, Scinde Island, and Haumoana prospects near Hawke Bay and identified several new exploration leads, said Trans-Orient Petroleum Ltd., Vancouver, B.C., a unit of Iremco.
PEP 38328 is south of two gas discoveries drilled earlier this year by Westech Energy Corp., Denver, and Enerco New Zealand Ltd., Auckland, near Wairoa on PEP 38329 area (see map, OGJ, May 18, 1998, p. 78).
PEP 38328 contains buried coquina limestone masses as well as the deeper sandstones, Trans-Orient said. Drilling targets are 7,000 ft deep or less. The port of Napier, a possible export point on Hawke Bay, lies within the permit.
Seismic has detailed the Taniwha and Rosearl prospects near the northern boundary of PEP 38332, just south of PEP 38328. More seismic is needed, but the prospects have the potential to be good sized oil traps at less than 5,000 ft, Trans-Orient said. The survey also identified leads associated with the Boar Hill anticline and Mangatoro high farther south on the permit, the company said.
The national gas pipeline crosses PEP 38328 and 38332 to supply the town of Napier. Indo-Pacific Energy (NZ) Ltd., another Iremco affiliate, is operator of PEP 38328 and 38332.
The companies anticipate a further two months of seismic processing and interpretation.
Meanwhile, Mosaic Oil NL said a joint venture group was to acquire 50 km of 2D seismic in June 1998 on PEP 38330, also operated by Indo-Pacific. The coastal block is northeast of the Westech/Enerco gas discoveries.
Westech/Enerco plans to shoot 3D seismic off Wairarapa and in Hawke Bay in early 1999. The blocks involved are PEP 38325, 38326, and 38333.
At last report the companies were testing their third wildcat, Makaraeo-1, on PEP 38329 and had expanded the original four well program to five wildcats plus an appraisal well to the initial discovery at Kauhauroa. The second discovery is Awatere-1.
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