Pan Pacific Petroleum said blowout preventers are being installed to the Kahu-1 exploration well off the Taranaki coast today.The well is being drilled three kilometres east of the producing Tui oilfield. Casing has been fitted to a depth of 1504m and the
Pan Pacific Petroleum said blowout preventers are being installed to the Kahu-1 exploration well off the Taranaki coast today.
The well is being drilled three kilometres east of the producing Tui oilfield. Casing has been fitted to a depth of 1504m and the well has a target depth of 3820m. It is being drilled in 122m of water.
Once the preventers are fitted the well operator AWE Ltd will drill ahead and expects to reach the target Kapuni sands in the coming week. The preventers are fitted to all offshore wells.
Pan Pacific Petroleum has a 10 percent stake in the permit area the well is being drilled in. AWE has 42.5 percent, Mitsui E&P Australia Pty has 35 percent, and New Zealand Oil and Gas has 12.5 percent through its subsidiary Stewart Petroleum Co.
Oil shows have been encountered earlier at the Tui SW-2 offshore exploration well but they were not deemed to be in commercial quantities.
AWE earlier abandoned the Tui SW-1 well after problems were encountered. The wells are being drilled by the Kan Tan IV rig.
