New Zealand had an increase in petroleum production, while exploration drilling continued at 1983's high level. Although there was an overall drop in licensed acreage, the amount of seismic exploration increased markedly, with 1,100 km of acquisition onshore and 4,300 km offshore. A new oil discovery, Toetoe-1A, was made near McKee field. Combined production from Kapuni, Maut, McKee, and Kaimiro fields was 2,978.56 × 10⁶ million m³ of gas (up 25%) and 962,323 m³ of condensate (up 14%). The combined McKee and Pouri fields, which came on line in November, are producing oil at about 5,200 b/d (830 m³/day).

All licenses in Tonga have been relinquished, and all company data are on open file. New petroleum legislation will be in force in 1985.

Fiji had no exploration activities. Three license blocks have been renewed at reduced acreage.

Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands are still awaiting legislation for petroleum exploration. A second stage of a CCOP/SOPAC-sponsored tripartite project (S. P. Lee cruise) was carried out in both countries, and also in Tonga and the New Ireland basin of Papua New Guinea. On the mainland of Papua New Guinea, 5 wells were drilled to a combined depth of 10,158 m (up 10.9%). An were dry. Concession areas comprise 11 Petroleum Prospecting Licences with a total of 1,062 blocks (at 5-min graticules).