Iwi and Council Consultation Key Part of Petroleum Block Offer 2013
 
The areas to be included in the petroleum Block Offer 2013 permitting round have been announced to the Advantage NZ: 2013 Petroleum Conference in Auckland today.
 
Informed by an iwi and council consultation process between November 2012 and January 2013, the final makeup of the Block Offer expected to be opened to bidding on 24 May 2013 includes five defined onshore blocks and three offshore release areas.
 
Block Offer 2013 includes:
·           three defined onshore blocks in Taranaki
·           two defined onshore blocks in the East Coast of the North Island
·           three offshore release areas, excluding current permits, in the Reinga-Northland Basins, Taranaki Basin, and Great South-Canterbury Basins.
 
A mixture of exploration, appraisal, and frontier acreage has been selected to appeal to a diverse range of companies,” said David Binnie, General Manager of New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals, a branch of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.
 
For the offshore areas, companies can define and apply for a permit area up to a limit of 10,000 square kilometres in frontier areas and up to 2,500 square kilometres in the offshore Taranaki Basin.
 
Prior to finalising areas to be included in Block Offer 2013, New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals consulted with iwi and councils geographically associated with the areas. A number of meetings were held with iwi and councils before and during the formal consultation period.  Submissions received were both verbal and written and these did result in changes in the final makeup of the Block Offer. 
 
Following careful consideration of all submissions including the 30 received between November 2012 and January 2013, the number of onshore blocks in Taranaki was reduced from five to three and the relative size of both onshore East Coast blocks has been reduced,” said David Binnie.
 
With regards to the majority of sites raised by submitters, the government is proposing to include the sites in the block offer, but encourage iwi and hapû and petroleum companies to activity work together to find their solutions for active protection, which could include avoiding or minimising any impacts of petroleum exploration activities near sites of significance.
 
Such an approach is supported by the legislative and regulatory framework that applies to petroleum activities – including the consenting processes managed by councils and ther Environmental Protection Authority, which provide for significant protection of sites onshore and offshore.
 
In respect of the two Taranaki and two East Coast onshore blocks, these have been deferred in whole or in part for a future block offer. The areas were notable by the density of wâhi tapu sites and the time needed for more consultation with iwi and the gathering of information on the wâhi tapu sites in the areas concerned.
 
The government also acknowledges the important role of iwi and hapû with natural resources in their rohe. That is why New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals is working to strengthen engagement between iwi and hapû and petroleum companies working in their rohe.
 
Strong engagement is the best way to ensure that iwi and hapû concerns about the effects of petroleum related activities in their rohe are addressed. This will be realised through changes being implemented under the new Crown minerals regime and through increased engagement by New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals.”
 
Once bidding opens late May, oil and gas companies and investors will have until 26 September 2013 to submit exploration work programmes for consideration by New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals.
 
After the tender closes in September, the competing bids will be taken through a methodical evaluation, which will include looking at companies’ health and safety and environmental credentials. Permits are expected to be awarded in December 2013.

Background
 
If successful, a company will be permitted to undertake exploration activity for a period ranging up to a maximum of 10, 12 or 15 years, depending on geographic location. Activity of permit holders will subject to strict health and safety obligations and any environmental requirements under the Resource Management Act or the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act.
 
Exploration permits allow for investigation of the potential for oil and gas development. It is through such exploration that we better understand the geology of the area and where commercially viable discoveries may be made.
 
Once an operator is granted an exploration permit they must negotiate land access, for onshore permits, with land holders and occupiers, and meet health and safety and environmental requirements.
 
An exploration permit does not include mining rights – any company that wishes to start mining will have to apply for a new permit and meet additional health and safety and environmental requirements.
 
Information on Block Offer 2013 and the recent iwi and council consultation is available at www.nzpam.govt.nz/cms/petroleum/block-offers.

"
Click for big version.

ENDS

© Scoop Media