Calendar 2017 is expected to broach more than 500,000oz for the first time, across its mines in Macraes, in East Otago; Waihi, in the North Island; Didipio, in the northern Philippines; and development mine Haile, in South Carolina.
Exploration results released separately yesterday included ''significant intercepts'' of gold at Waihi and Haile and an increased estimated resource at one Macraes site, up more than 60% to 218,000oz.
Oceana has for the first time said its exploration programme at Waihi is looking to discover an additional 1 million ounces of gold.
Oceana is expected to deliver its calendar full-year 2016 report in coming weeks, with guidance yesterday unchanged at 385,000-425,000oz of gold and up to 21,000 tonnes of copper, the latter from Didipio.
Oceana chief executive Mick Wilkes said guidance for full-year 2017 gold production was expected to increase about 35% to a range of 550,000oz-610,000oz, while all-in sustaining costs across the group of mines would decrease about 15% to $US600-$US$650 ($NZ833-$NZ903).
''We're well positioned to generate free cash flow even in a lower gold price environment,'' Mr Wilkes said in a statement yesterday.
''Our strategy to create a [profit] margin business from our portfolio of high-quality assets has been a successful one thus far.''
The 2017 boost is largely fuelled by expectations that Haile will provide an additional 150,000oz-170,000 oz during the calendar year, while Didipio will also have production ramped up, potentially to 130,000oz.
Oceana shares were up 2.8% at $4.01 on the NZX yesterday. It is delisting from the NZX at the end of the month.
Craigs Investment Partners broker Peter McIntyre said the positive and diminishing all-in sustaining costs reflected the company's intent on being a low-cost producer.
''They have really upped the ante on the number of ounces they're planning to produce,'' he said.
Mr Wilkes said at Macraes, Oceana remained on track to have the required permits to advance its proposed Coronation North development, which is expected to start in the first quarter of 2017.
Exploration across all Macraes during 2016 totalled 27,000m of drilling, while assays were pending from two drill hills at Coronation North totalling 510m. At the Coronation pit, 15 holes were drilled over 3363m.
''The drilling confirmed mineralisation of significant width and grade in the targeted area,'' Mr Wilkes said.
At Waihi, Mr Wilkes said the exploration target was to discover an additional million ounces of gold over the medium term.
During 2016, Oceana will complete about 30,000m of exploration drilling at Haile, using four diamond drill rigs.
''The drill results continue to demonstrate the quality of the deposit with high-grade and, generally, relatively wide intercepts,'' he said.
The results from the Haile exploration programme would be ''a major input'' into its optimisation study, which was on schedule for completion in mid-2017.
