The project
The Kupe Field is in exploration permit PML 38146, located in the same general area as the giant Maui gas field which currently supplies most of the country’s needs. The field lies in 35m of water, 30km offshore, south of New Zealand’s Taranaki Peninsula.
The Kupe Field was discovered by New Zealand Oil & Gas Limited (NZOG) in the Kupe South-1 well, drilled in 1986.
Seven exploration and appraisal wells have been drilled since discovery and the scope for recovery volumes for the Kupe Field has been estimated as containing Proved and Probable (2P) reserves of:
| Product | Estimated recovery | PJE |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Gas | 253.5 PJ | 253.5 |
| LPG | 1,061,900 tonnes | 52.5 |
| Condensate | 14.7 million barrels | 82 |
| Total (PJE) | 389 |
The final development is expected to be on line in late-2009 and will likely produce around 20 PJ per annum of sales gas together with condensate and LPG production commencing at 1.7 million barrels per annum and 90 ktonnes per annum respectively.
Project Description
The Kupe Gas Project will comprise:
- An unmanned offshore platform constructed above the Kupe Field production wells and supporting up to six wellheads
- A subsea pipeline (or umbilical) to bring the raw gas and liquids to shore (the offshore raw gas pipeline)
- Three 50mm subsea utility lines to carry chemicals to the platform and a power cable with an embedded communications cable
- A Horizontal Directional Drilled (HDD) shore crossing linking the offshore and onshore components
- An onshore production station located at the southern end of Inaha Road
- An onshore raw gas pipeline from the HDD site to the production station
- A sales gas pipeline from the production station to the Kapuni Gas Treatment Plant where natural gas will be injected into the existing transmission network
- Storage of LPG at the production station and transport via trucks directly to retail customers
- Transport of condensate via trucks from the production station to the Omata Tank Farm at New Plymouth.
Kupe Gas Project infrastructure.
Kupe Gas Project South Taranaki District Council land use consent area.
Composite photo showing the view of the production station site from 90 Rainie Road.
Indicative Technical Drawing of Kupe Platform.