New Zealand’s Associate Energy Minister, Harry Duynhoven, has announced that Origin Energy has been awarded a large petroleum exploration permit in the offshore Canterbury Basin.

The 38,260 km2 permit is located in the outer Canterbury Basin and is adjacent to Origin’s other exploration permit in the basin. “Increased investment by Origin and other companies in the Canterbury Basin confirms that exploration companies continue to see opportunities for investment in oil and gas exploration beyond the Taranaki Basin”, Duynhoven said.

Origin Energy holds a 51% interest in Contact Energy, New Zealand’s largest publicly listed energy company. Aside from the two exploration permits that Origin now holds in the Canterbury Basin, the company also holds a 50% interest in the Kupe project as well as interests in four other exploration permits in the Taranaki Basin.

Duynhoven said the proposed work programme will see Origin acquire a minimum of 2,000 km of 2D seismic data within three years and drill an exploration well within four years. “This announcement and the continued high level of interest in the Great South Basin, reflect the current pace and high level of confidence shown by exploration companies in New Zealand”, he said.