Oil will be commercially drilled in the Manaia Field offshore Taranaki, after a successful appraisal that drilled about eight kilometres – the longest well ever drilled in New Zealand.

OMV New Zealand, the operator for Maari Partners (with 69% share), announced the decision this morning, but remained coy on reserves or production flow rates.

The appraisal took 48 days in a “challenging” drilling programme 10km south west of the Maari oil field in the permit PEP 38413.

Maari Partners have continued a successful run in the offshore Taranaki basin with another oil strike announced on the ASX last week.

Horizon Oil (HZN), a 10% partner, announced the M2A appraisal well (the MR9 well) had been drilled to 3,048 metres and the M2A zone was likely to contain between 30 million to 40 million barrels, about a quarter of the oil in place in the primary Moki zone.