The Pohokura field, discovered in 2000 and which started producing gas and condensate in August 2006, is operated by Shell Exploration NZ (48 percent), Todd Energy (26 percent) and OMV (26 percent), and cost around $1 billion to develop.
The largest discovery in New Zealand since Maui, Pohokura holds estimated reserves of 700 billion cubic feet of gas and 42 million barrels of condensate, likely to contribute 42 percent of the country’s natural gas demand. The field is estimated to contribute an average $200 million each year to the national economy through royalties alone.
The Pohokura topside module was built by New Plymouth’s Fitzroy Engineering Group and Fletcher Construction was the main contractor for the onshore production station, with Pohokura condensate being shipped through Port Taranaki since August 2006.
In a New Zealand first, as a result of state-of-the-art engineering the offshore platform and the onshore production station is operated remotely from Shell’s New Plymouth offices.
The project is also innovative on the sustainability front – the production station has a storm water disposal system that includes a natural bio-filter of wetland plants and drill cuttings were disposed of at a local worm farm, digested and turned into compost.
The first stage of the field development saw three long wells drilled out to the southern end of the onshore field using a large onshore rig.