Oil rig ready to begin drilling in Taranaki waters

Wednesday, 19 June 2019

Under its own steam: The COSL Prospector has arrived off the Taranaki coast. Photos supplied by Greenpeace.

Here's a vessel you don't see every day - a self-propelled oil rig the size of a rugby field.

The CSOL Prospector is expected to begin drilling for oil in the Tui field off the Taranaki coast within days after a lengthy four-month journey from Norway.

The CSOL Prospector making good progress toward the Tui oil field off the Taranaki coast

The rig has been undergoing pre-drilling preparation, including securing anchoring, following its arrival at the field on June 10.

Malaysian-based Tamarind Resources has contracted the rig for the next 130 days to drill three wells and extract six million barrels of oil from the Tui field.

The rig is expected to remain in the area to carry out more drilling for Austrian-based OMV after the Tamarind project is completed.

Greenpeace, which took the picture, said the rig's arrival contradicted the government's ban on new oil and gas exploration.

However, permits awarded before the ban were excluded.