The oil and gas industry in New Zealand explores and develops oil and gas fields, and produces petroleum

Petroleum

Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...

 products and natural gas

Natural 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...

.

In 2008, New Zealand's self sufficiency in oil (production divided by consumption) was 47%, i.e. the country imports over half its petroleum product needs (though actual imports are higher, as some of the local product is also exported). In the March 2010 quarter, 28.7 petajoules of crude were produced in New Zealand, 78 pj of petroleum products imported (most of it crude), and 61.6 pj consumed. The difference is exported or used for international travel (aviation fuel

Aviation fuel

Aviation fuel is a specialized type of petroleum-based fuel used to power aircraft. It is generally of a higher quality than fuels used in less critical applications, such as heating or road transport, and often contains additives to reduce the risk of icing or explosion due to high temperatures,...

 and similar).

Oil and gas is produced from 21 petroleum licenses / permits, all in the Taranaki basin. The most important fields are Kapuni

Kapuni

Kapuni is a small hydrocarbons field and drilling site in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located within a dairy farming area in Taranaki, south of New Plymouth....

, Maui

Maui gas field

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 hydrocarbons, 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...

, Pohokura

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...

 and Kupe

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...

. Exploration for oil and gas reserves includes the Great South Basin

Great South Basin

The Great South Basin is an area of mainly sea to the south of the South Island of New Zealand.Starting in the 1960s, the area was explored and drilled for oil deposits by various minerals companies, mostly international, but by 1984 all of these companies had left empty-handed...

 and offshore areas near Canterbury and Gisborne.

The major industry body is the Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand

Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand

The Petroleum Exploration and Production Association of New Zealand is an incorporated society based in Wellington. Its core focus is to promote the interests of petroleum producers and explorers in New Zealand which includes everything from policy through to education.Full members are those...

.

History

In 1865, the Alpha well was drilled near Mikotahi at 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....

. This was the first oil well in what is now the Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

 and one of the first in the world. A petroleum industry developed at Moturoa

Moturoa

Moturoa is a coastal suburb of New Plymouth, in the western North Island of New Zealand. It is located to the west of the city centre. The population was 3,558 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 315 from 2001....

, including producing wells and refineries. The last refinery was closed in 1972. The field continues to produce small quantities of oil.

Oil and gas fields

Proven and probable (P50) reserves, ultimate and remaining, as at 1 January 2011.

Producing fields

Field	Ultimate oil recoverable (mmbbls)	Remaining oil reserves (mmbbls)	Ultimate gas recoverable (PJ)	Remaining gas reserves (PJ)
Maui Maui gas field 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 hydrocarbons, 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...	158	4	3,962	101
Kapuni Kapuni Kapuni is a small hydrocarbons field and drilling site in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located within a dairy farming area in Taranaki, south of New Plymouth....	68	4	1,098	169
Pohokura 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...	57	38	1,185	891
Maari Maari oilfield The Maari oilfield is an oil reservoir located off the coast of South Taranaki, New Zealand. Maari is the largest crude oil field in New Zealand with total reserves of ....	58	46
Kupe 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...	32	29	287	254
Tui	51	21
Turangi	7	6	193	168
Kowhai	5	5	160	151
Mangahewa	5	4	237	175
Ngatoro	13	4	65	37
McKee McKee field McKee field is an oil and gas producing field in Taranaki, New Zealand. It is located 20 km south east of New Plymouth. The field is now owned and operated by subsidiaries of Todd Energy....	48	1	226	50
Others	32	3	175	23
Total	534	166	7,587	2,021

Non-producing fields

Field	Estimated oil recoverable (mmbbls)	Estimated gas recoverable (PJ)
Radnor	0.9	5
Total	0.9	5