Abstract
In New Zealand, 2 offshore wells were drilled in the Great South basin, both in water nearly 700 m deep; both were abandoned, but 1 of them (Kawau 1A) had shows and tested gas and condensate. On land, the newly established government company drilled 1 well (testing salt water) and part of a second well near the Kotuku oil seepage in Westland, South Island. Both onshore and offshore total depth drilled was 9,450 m, down 46%. Production from the Kapuni field was increased to 2,261,903 cu m of gas (218.8 MMCFGD, up 59.3%) and 860,973 cu m of condensate (14,837 b/d, up 43.4%). Work on the Maui platform and pipeline was virtually completed, and production drilling is scheduled to start early in 1978. Considerable offshore acreage concessions have expired; the total of remaining offshore concessions is 432,302 sq km (166,912 sq mi). On land all but 383 sq km (148 sq mi) has expired, but the government, in the course of its new policy to go actively into petroleum exploration, has acquired 6 concession blocks on both islands, totaling 12,118 sq km (4,825 sq mi).
In Tonga, a detailed seismic survey of 283 km was conducted on the island of Tongatapu, and 732 km of offshore seismic lines recorded by Shell in 1970 was reprocessed by Webb Tonga Inc. As a result, 3 major seismic anomalies, which have been interpreted as carbonate-reef structures, are scheduled for drilling on the island of Tongatapu.
In Fiji, no further activities are reported, as all licenses have expired. As a result, all offshore geophysical data are now available on open file.
In Papua, New Guinea 1 seismic survey, begun in July 1976, was completed, and 1 offshore well was drilled to 3,433 m TD; it was plugged and abandoned. Some concession changes occurred in the Gulf of Papua, and in the Soloman Sea the government for the first time invited applications for 60 blocks of offshore petroleum prospecting licenses. There has been no final solution to the boundary dispute with Australia in Torres Strait.
