Almost 30% of the Government's latest round for oil and gas exploration block offers is acreage in the southern Great South Basin and Canterbury Basins areas.
Energy and Resources Minister Simon Bridges yesterday threw open to consultation with iwi and local councils the Block Offer 2015, which is to encourage oil and gas explorers to place tenders to acquire exploration permits around New Zealand.
In total there are seven individual areas on offer, totalling about 476,000sq km.
The Great South and Canterbury basins jointly have blocks totalling almost 142,000sq km up for tender.
Of the seven basins, two on the West Coast, South Island, and one in Taranaki are onshore.
At present New Zealand Oil and Gas and Anadarko have exploration permits in either the Great South Basin or Canterbury, while oil sector services giant Schlumberger has applied for permits in the Great South Basin.
While shipborne seismic surveys are pencilled in for southern waters, the earliest a drill ship or rig would again come south is likely be at least two years away.
Mr Bridges said opening the offer was the first step in the process and he encouraged iwi and local authorities to take part in consultation, which runs until February 9.
''Their feedback ensures that any areas of sensitivity are carefully considered before the 2015 tender round is finalised,'' Mr Bridges said.
In the face of increasing environmental concerns over deepwater drilling, Mr Bridges noted that Schedule 4 areas, including national parks and marine reserves, and World Heritage sites were excluded from the block offer process.
Area on offer in southern Basins: 141,756sq km.
• The Great South Basin, which has been explored since the early 1970s, including having both 2-D and 3-D seismic acquisition programmes performed.
• Total basin covers about 130,000sq km; prospective for gas condensate and oil.
• Canterbury Basin, total 360,000sq km, both onshore and offshore acreage, also prospective for gas condensate and oil.
- Source: NZP&M
