The onshore Kapuni and offshore Maui gas-condensate fields containing New Zealand's only hydrocarbon reserves are in the Taranaki basin in the west of the North Island. Kapuni, discovered in 1959, first produced in May 1970. Maui, discovered in 1969 in 360 ft of water 25 mi offshore, is not due to produce until October 1978. Production from both fields is from Eocene sandstone reservoirs within the Kapuni Formation which was deposited between Late Cretaceous and Early Oligocene time in a widespread coastal plain and fluviomarine environment.

The original recoverable reserves of the 4-well Kapuni field, which produces from below 11,300 ft, are estimated at 460 million BTU of dry gas (630 Bcf at 730 BTU/cu ft) and 34 million bbl of condensate. Production averaged 46.3 MMCFGD (carbon dioxide content 43%) and 3,500 b/d of condensate in 1973.

With the additional wells to be drilled in 1974, the maximum deliverability reserves will increase to 260 MMCFGD and 18,000 b/d of condensate so that 108.7 million million BTU (about 24% of the original reserves and two thirds of the production) can be supplied as raw gas, with its original carbon dioxide content, to the New Plymouth power station during 1975-1978.

The reserves of the Maui field are estimated at 5,730 million million BTU of dry gas (5,590 Bcf at 1,025 BTU/cu ft) with 161 million bbl of condensate and 41 million bbl of recoverable LPG. Two platforms will be constructed 23 and 33 mi offshore. Processing facilities will handle a throughput of 750 MMCFGD and 20,000 b/d of condensate. The gas will fuel over 3,000 megawatts of generating capacity in North Island power stations.

Kapuni raw gas, without condensate, is sold at the field by Shell, BP, and Todd for NZ 17.5 cents/million BTU. The Natural Gas Corp. will remove carbon dioxide and distribute in the North Island. Maui gas will be sold at NZ 37 cents/million BTU delivered at the power stations. Development of the Maui field and associated processing and distribution facilities will be undertaken jointly by the New Zealand Government (50%) and Shell, BP, and Todd.

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