Kupe field
Encyclopedia
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. The field is being exploited through the Kupe Gas Project, which comprises an unmanned Wellhead Platform, a single three phase pipeline to shore and an onshore production station.
, as well as 1.1 million tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 18.6 million barrels of light oil (condensate).
By introducing a new and alternative supply of gas, the Kupe Gas Project will make a significant contribution towards meeting New Zealand’s gas supply for between 15 and 20 years.
Development of the project cost NZ$1.3b and first produced export gas in December 2009. The project was officially opened by Prime Minister John Key
on 18 March 2010.
The project is owned by a joint venture comprising;
It will be operated by Origin.
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...
, 30 km off the coast of the town of Manaia in Taranaki, 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...
. The field was discovered in 1986 and is located in 35 metres of water. The field is being exploited through the Kupe Gas Project, which comprises an unmanned Wellhead Platform, a single three phase pipeline to shore and an onshore production station.
Production project
The Kupe Gas Project will provide the New Zealand gas supply network with approximately 273 petajoules of natural gasNatural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
, as well as 1.1 million tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 18.6 million barrels of light oil (condensate).
By introducing a new and alternative supply of gas, the Kupe Gas Project will make a significant contribution towards meeting New Zealand’s gas supply for between 15 and 20 years.
Development of the project cost NZ$1.3b and first produced export gas in December 2009. The project was officially opened by Prime Minister John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
on 18 March 2010.
The project is owned by a joint venture comprising;
- Genesis Energy (31%),
- Origin Energy Resources Ltd NZ (a subsidiary of Origin EnergyOrigin Energy-History:Origin Energy was formed in February 2000, as a result of a demerger from the Australian conglomerate Boral Limited, in which the energy business was removed from the building and construction materials business to form the new company....
) (50%), - NZ Oil & Gas (15%) and
- Mitsui E&P (4%).
It will be operated by Origin.