Australian company Origin Energy is undertaking exploratory drilling in the Petroleum Exploration Permit area PEP 38619 40km off the Raglan coast in October and November 2010. The company is warning boats to stay half a kilometre away from the drilling rig. The Kan Tan IV semisubmersible rig will be used to initially drill two exploration wells, Korimako-1 and Tarapunga-1, in area known as the Northern Taranaki/ Northland Basin. Kan Tan IV Drilling Platform is a standard semi-submersible offshore drilling platform of the 3rd generation. Its maximum operating water depth is 2,000 feet, its maximum drilling depth is 25,000 feet. It has been in service in North Sea, UK, and Trinidad and Tobago, Australia and over the last few months has been drilling at various locations around New Zealand. The rig is operated by the Sinopecstar Petroleum Company.
Weather permitting, the drilling is expected to start mid-October and take approximately 40 days. During this time, Origin Energy requests that any boats in the area stay at least 500m away from the drilling rig. Origin is undertaking the drilling as allowed under its petroleum exploration permit PEP 38619. The drilling will help Origin Energy find out if there are commercially recoverable reserves to gas or oil offshore.
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Northern Taranaki/ Northland Basin Wells Coordinates |
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Korimako-1 |
Tarapunga-1 |
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Latitude (NZGD49) |
37° 34′ 59.89″ S |
37° 40 180€ S |
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Longitude (NZGD49) |
174° 16′ 27.85″ E |
174° 15′ 51.00 E |
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Northing(NZMG) |
6401618 m N |
6391823.5 m N |
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Easting (NZMG) |
2622824 m E |
2621772.6 S m E |