Secret Plans for Oil Wells off NZ Coast

Information is starting to come out that the government is putting out for tender 25 blocks for oil and gas exploration nationwide.

These tenders have been designed so that local councils and the public at large is kept in the dark.

Facebook pages have been set up to oppose this in Kaikoura and Wellington.

More information as it comes to hand.

Councils kept in dark over oil well plans

Drilling of deep-sea oil wells off Wellington's southeast coast is poised to go ahead with little consultation, despite concerns over the potential for environmental disaster.

TVNZ,

30 April, 2012

The Government is close to calling for competitive tenders for oil and gas exploration in 25 blocks, including 14 offshore, nationwide.

Environmentalists and local politicians are outraged they were not consulted about two blocks in the Pegasus Basin, south of Wairarapa.

Exploration permits would allow for deep-sea drilling of up to 2750 metres in places - Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico was 1500 metres and the deepest well off the Taranaki coast was 120 metres.

Neither Wellington City Council nor Greater Wellington regional council were consulted and no public meetings were held or advocate groups spoken to. Iwi groups, however, were consulted.

Kaikoura District Council battled to be heard and residents there started a petition against the exploration.

A Wellington City Council spokesman said it was aware of the proposal but had not been consulted. "We would certainly be interested in knowing more about what's proposed."

Masterton District Council was consulted about another offshore block further north, but not about the Pegasus Basin.

Chief executive Wes ten Hove said the consultation was mainly about peripheral planning implications. "We're keen to keep an eye on how things evolve and develop."

Environment and Conservation Organisations co-chairwoman Cath Wallace said the lack of consultation was "appalling" and becoming a trend for the National Government.

"They know damn well that people are concerned."

It seemed to be a Cabinet edict to consult local government bodies and iwi, but not the rest of society, she said.

Greenpeace climate campaigner Simon Boxer said it was a major concern that the first the public had heard of proposals was when the tender process began.

Tendering locked in industry expectation and made it unlikely permits would be withdrawn. "It's just one of those things of steamrolling the process really."

The Government's "cavalier" attitude was alarming, he said.

In the event of a blowout, the nearest rig would take four to six weeks to arrive. It took just days for a rig to arrive after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, but it was still two months before a relief well was complete.

"We're so exposed to a disaster occurring in some of these remote places and we're going to depths that well-developed oil countries would seriously question."

Green MP Gareth Hughes said Wellingtonians would be shocked to know about plans for drilling on their doorstep.

"There is no guarantee of safety with deep-water oil drilling, so we shouldn't be doing it."

An Economic Development Ministry spokeswoman said the Government was required to consult iwi and local government bodies that were "geographically associated".

Councils were consulted about blocks within their jurisdiction, which includes up to 12 nautical miles off the coast. The Pegasus Basin blocks are more than 12 nautical miles offshore.

Divers, fishermen concerned over Wellington oil wells

Fishing and diving businesses fear their livelihoods could be at risk from plans to drill for oil and gas off Wellington's southeast coast.

Stuff,1 May, 2012

The Dominion Post revealed yesterday that tendering for exploration in the Pegasus Basin was likely to proceed despite concerns about lack of consultation and the potential for environmental damage.

The two blocks in the Pegasus Basin are part of 25 nationwide being offered for competitive tender. Consultation was done only with "geographically associated" iwi and local government agencies.

Neither Wellington City Council nor Greater Wellington regional council was consulted about plans for wells up to 2750 metres deep because the wells would more than 12 nautical miles offshore.

Simon Puketapu, manager of Lower Hutt's The Dive Shop, said he had not known about the plans, but the effect of a disaster would be wide-reaching.

"Especially on the tourism side, whether they are related with the sea or not, it can affect a lot of other businesses as well because a lot of people just think, 'Well, the place is polluted, we're not going to go there, we'll go somewhere else' ."

Wellington businessman Pete Lamb, who runs fishing charters and tackle shops, said that although it was important for the country to make money, no-one knew how safe the proposed drilling would be.

Any problems could have a big impact on his businesses, which ran 200 charters a year near Pegasus Basin, he said. "I think some exploration should go forward but I think they should check out how safe it is. I suppose it would be nice to know what's going on."

Wellington Central MP Grant Robertson said the Government should explain its plans for future offshore drilling and let the public have their say. "It is outrageous that the Government has got as far as calling for tenders, yet the people of Wellington and their representatives have not been consulted."

New Zealanders were increasingly concerned about the impact of drilling of oil wells, and the lack of transparency around government process, he said.

Oil exploration splits opinion

Reaction to a report that oil exploration blocks off Wairarapa coast are set to go without consultation with local government and iwi has been mixed

Times Age,

1 May, 2012

Three of the 2012 block offers - a set of permits for specific off-shore areas which are offered to oil and gas companies for exploration - are on Wairarapa coast.

The first proposed block, 2012 East Coast 2, begins almost 9km offshore from Castlepoint and continues northwest past Akitio.

The other two proposed blocks, 2012 Pegasus Basin 1 and 2, start about 19km off South Wairarapa and Wellington coasts.

Competitive bidding for the blocks had tentatively been set to start on April 27, but has now been pushed back to May.

Masterton mayor Garry Daniell said the district council, along with Tararua District Council, was invited to a briefing session about the block offers in Wellington earlier this year.

"It wasn't so much a chance to have input as it was to have questions answered - such as the timescale, the effect of any onshore activities, questions of the dangers in terms of pollution and the reliability of any companies tendering."

Mr Daniell said he thought all affected local government bodies had been briefed appropriately and that there was potential economic advantage in oil exploration for Wairarapa.

"Providing there are safeguards, it's an exciting opportunity for any district. There's big potential in the methane hydrates off Wairarapa coast in particular."

Ministry of Economic Development estimates the oil and gas industry is worth $8.5 billion to New Zealand, and central government currently receives about 42 per cent of the profit from developments.

Kahungunu ki Wairarapa general manager PJ Devonshire said he was aware of the current oil exploration proposals.

"I wouldn't say it's been a fully inclusive consultation, but we know of it, and we're keeping a watch on it."

Greater Wellington regional council chairwoman Fran Wilde said the council was double-checking whether or not they had been consulted, but at this stage, they believed they had not been.

South Wairarapa District Council planning and environment manager Glenn Bunny said the council had not been informed or consulted of the proposed activity, but would not necessarily expect to be consulted on off-shore activities.

A Ministry of Economic Development spokesperson said information about the proposed blocks had been available since February, and the department had consulted iwi and local government within 12 nautical miles of the blocks.

A public announcement on the outcome of the competitive bids is set to be made on December 21.