New Zealand had an increase in exploration activity, particularly drilling. 30,876 m were drilled onshore (up 62%) and 14,034 m offshore. Concession holdings slightly increased offshore (to 230,665 km²), but dropped to nearly half onshore (to 34,353 km²). Seismic surveys decreased to 477.5 line-km onshore and 1,128 km offshore, down 56% and 93%, respectively. Oil, gas, and condensate were found in several wells on small structures close to the recently discovered McKee field. Regular production from McKee began in April 1984, at an initial rate of 1,000 BOPD. Production from Kapuni and Maui fields combined was 2,381.313 × 10⁶ m³ of gas (up 9.4%) and 845,286 m³ of condensate (down 2.3%). Construction of a 1,200-MT day methanol plant, which uses natural gas from these fields, was completed.

No exploration was carried out in Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Solomon Islands. In Fiji, all prospecting licenses expired, but renewal terms on areas reduced by 50% were agreed on in principle.

Papua New Guinea had 4 wells drilled to a combined depth of 9,158 m (up 23.2%). The Juha-2X appraisal well confirmed the discovery of gas and condensate in the Juha anticline. In the Gulf of Papua, the offshore appraisal well, Pasca-A3, blew out and was abandoned. The total area of petroleum prospecting licenses slightly increased to 74,715 km².