Maui gas field
Encyclopedia
The Maui natural gas field
is the largest gas, natural gas condensate
and oil field
in New Zealand
, producing nearly three-quarters of the country's hydrocarbon
s, as well as providing energy for electricity generation. It is located in the Tasman Sea
, 35 km off the coast of Taranaki and to the southwest of New Plymouth
. It covers an area of 157 square kilometres and is located in 110 metres of water.
The gas field was discovered in 1969 by a joint venture of Royal Dutch/Shell
, British Petroleum
and Todd Petroleum. It was considered a "giant" field at the time of discovery. Government investment led to a government organisation later called Petrocorp
taking a 50% interest. This was later bought out by Fletcher Challenge
Energy. By the end of the Maui gas contract in 2009, the Maui Mining Companies were made up of Shell (84%), OMV
New Zealand (10%), and Todd Energy
(6%).
Two platforms operate in the field: full production from Maui A began in 1979; Maui B was installed 13 years later. Much of the gas from Maui was used to supply the Motunui
synthetic petrol plant from 1986 until it ceased operation in 2004. An onshore naphtha
refining plant was installed in 1999. The floating production storage and offloading
vessel Whakaaropai was installed as part of the final development phases in 1996, for the production of oil from Maui B. It was sold in 2005 when the recoverable oil reserves had been exhausted.
Gas is piped to power stations for electricity generation in Taranaki, Huntly
and Auckland. Electricity production from the gas grew steadily from the 1970s, with it providing 30% of New Zealand's electricity in 2002. Production declined in the 2000s as the gas was depleted, providing just 16% of the country's electricity in 2005. The gas is also distributed through high-pressure pipelines for industrial and domestic use around the North Island. This used 30% of the gas produced in 2005.
The reserves of the Maui field are dwindling, but there is hope that another, currently undeveloped field nearby (the Kupe field
) will provide economically viable reserves of gas. The Pohokura gas field
came on-stream in 2006, replacing some of the declining Maui production.
Natural gas field
Oil and natural gas are produced by the same geological process according fossil fuel suggestion: anaerobic decay of organic matter deep under the Earth's surface. As a consequence, oil and natural gas are often found together...
is the largest gas, natural gas condensate
Natural gas condensate
Natural-gas condensate is a low-density mixture of hydrocarbon liquids that are present as gaseous components in the raw natural gas produced from many natural gas fields....
and oil field
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, producing nearly three-quarters of the country's hydrocarbon
Hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
s, as well as providing energy for electricity generation. It is located in the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
, 35 km off the coast of Taranaki and to the southwest of New Plymouth
New Plymouth
New Plymouth is the major city of the Taranaki Region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after Plymouth, Devon, England, from where the first English settlers migrated....
. It covers an area of 157 square kilometres and is located in 110 metres of water.
The gas field was discovered in 1969 by a joint venture of Royal Dutch/Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
, British Petroleum
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
and Todd Petroleum. It was considered a "giant" field at the time of discovery. Government investment led to a government organisation later called Petrocorp
Petrocorp
Petrocorp, formally the Petroleum Corporation of New Zealand Limited, is a former New Zealand State-Owned Enterprise that was formed in 1978...
taking a 50% interest. This was later bought out by Fletcher Challenge
Fletcher Challenge
Fletcher Challenge is a now defunct multinational corporation from New Zealand, formed in 1981 by the merger of Fletcher Holdings, Challenge Corporation and Tasman Pulp and Paper...
Energy. By the end of the Maui gas contract in 2009, the Maui Mining Companies were made up of Shell (84%), OMV
OMV
OMV is Austria's largest oil-producing, refining and gas station operating company with important activities in other Central European countries...
New Zealand (10%), and Todd Energy
Todd Energy
Todd Energy is a diversified energy company operating in New Zealand. Todd Energy employs over 200 people and is part of the Todd Corporation. Nova Energy is the retail division of Todd Energy- Electricity :...
(6%).
Two platforms operate in the field: full production from Maui A began in 1979; Maui B was installed 13 years later. Much of the gas from Maui was used to supply the Motunui
Motunui
Motunui is a settlement in northern Taranaki, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 3 close to the shore of the North Taranaki Bight, six kilometres east of Waitara....
synthetic petrol plant from 1986 until it ceased operation in 2004. An onshore naphtha
Naphtha
Naphtha normally refers to a number of different flammable liquid mixtures of hydrocarbons, i.e., a component of natural gas condensate or a distillation product from petroleum, coal tar or peat boiling in a certain range and containing certain hydrocarbons. It is a broad term covering among the...
refining plant was installed in 1999. The floating production storage and offloading
Floating Production Storage and Offloading
A floating production, storage and offloading unit is a floating vessel used by the offshore industry for the processing of hydrocarbons and for storage of oil. A FPSO vessel is designed to receive hydrocarbons produced from nearby platforms or subsea template, process them, and store oil until it...
vessel Whakaaropai was installed as part of the final development phases in 1996, for the production of oil from Maui B. It was sold in 2005 when the recoverable oil reserves had been exhausted.
Gas is piped to power stations for electricity generation in Taranaki, Huntly
Huntly power station
The Huntly Power Station is the largest thermal power station in New Zealand and is located in the town of Huntly in the Waikato. It is operated by Genesis Power, a state-owned enterprise, and supplies around 17% of the country's power.-Generation:...
and Auckland. Electricity production from the gas grew steadily from the 1970s, with it providing 30% of New Zealand's electricity in 2002. Production declined in the 2000s as the gas was depleted, providing just 16% of the country's electricity in 2005. The gas is also distributed through high-pressure pipelines for industrial and domestic use around the North Island. This used 30% of the gas produced in 2005.
The reserves of the Maui field are dwindling, but there is hope that another, currently undeveloped field nearby (the Kupe field
Kupe field
The Kupe natural gas field is located in the Tasman Sea, 30 km off the coast of the town of Manaia in Taranaki, New Zealand. The field was discovered in 1986 and is located in 35 metres of water...
) will provide economically viable reserves of gas. The Pohokura gas field
Pohokura field
The Pohokura field is an oil and gas field located 4 km offshore of north Taranaki in New Zealand, in approximately 30 m of water. The field was discovered in 2000 by Fletcher Challenge and has total estimated reserves of 996 Bcf of gas and 59.4 mmbbls of condensate.The field has 6 offshore and 3...
came on-stream in 2006, replacing some of the declining Maui production.