Oil and gas exploration companies could be drilling in two conservation parks in the Tasman district after they were included in the latest tenders for petroleum exploration permits announced by the government.
Ninety-one square kilometres of Mount Richmond Forest Park and 417 square kilometres of Victoria Forest Park are included in the 2007 square kilometre West Coast Basin block titled 15WEC-R1. The block extends from Murchison north to Mt Richmond and is one of seven included in the tender which was announced by the Minister of Energy and Resources, Simon Bridges on March 30.
The New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals website states that the West Coast block “is  prospective for oil, gas and coal seam gas” with discoveries dating back to the early 1900s. An exploration permit gives the permit holder the rights to search for commercially recoverable reserves of oil and gas in a specific area.
The activities allowed under this permit include sampling, geological studies, seismic surveys and drilling exploratory wells for oil or gas.
The website says exploration activity is “generally allowed on conservation land” although DOC can mitigate potential environmental impacts by managing land access arrangements.
Permit holders must also apply for any resource consents required by local authorities to explore conservation land. Councils may put stringent conditions on consents.
