Rick Wilkinson
OGJ Correspondent
MELBOURNE, Sept. 24 -- Austral Pacific Energy has completed commissioning of the small Cheal oil field in the Taranaki basin, onshore New Zealand, and it says the field will be opened officially on Oct. 8.
Commissioning began in early August, and the production facilities have already produced 14,000 bbl of oil and 5.9 MMcf of gas.
The field comprises four active wells plus two more in an advanced planning stage. Proved and probable reserves are put at 2.6 million bbl and about 1.8 bcf of gas.
Operator Austral Pacific holds 69.5%, and Calgary-based independent Tag Oil Ltd., 30.5%.
