Texas firm searches for oil in Wairarapa

Texas oil company Discovery Geo Corp has employed a team of New Zealanders to search for oil in the Wairarapa.

The firm is using explosive charges and seismic recordings to test the underground landscape for possible oil and gas fields.

Over the past six weeks they have tested 60km of sample territory in Wairarapa to get data from up to 5km underground to see where there might be "structures of interest".

New Zealand exploration manager Bruce Morris says it is still early days but the region could yield positive results, as there are "quite regular seeps all along the east coast of the North Island".

Mr Morris says Wairarapa has the rock types that show evidence of organic material that "may have been cooked long enough to contain oil and gas".

Data from the recent testing is sent to Australia to be analysed and should take a few months to yield crucial information. If the data is positive, the oil company may try drilling wells to see what the structures contain.

Even though there have been around 10 wells drilled in Wairarapa since people started looking for oil in the 1800s, there are yet to be any strikes. But Mr Morris said improved techniques and better ways of analysing data meant the chances of finding something have vastly improved.

He describes Wairarapa as a green area, which means there has been very little exploration here and the potential is relatively unknown.

"This is the first instance of decent high grade seismic data to be taken from the area. Now we are able to get a much better picture of what the rocks are doing," Mr Morris said.

He stresses that exploration is still in the very early stages but because of the speed they have been able to undertake the testing, they may be back soon to explore more territory soon.

"This will be very useful information to decide which direction we are going to go," he said.

The company has spent around $1 million on testing in Wairarapa over the past two months.

They use 500g explosive shots planted 4-5m below the surface and a line of seismic recorders placed at periodic intervals several kilometres long.

When the underground shot is fired the meters take seismic readings that can be analysed to show what's beneath the ground.

Exploration Solutions have completed nine of these lines of varying length all over Wairarapa. Specific areas include Gladstone, Blairlogie, Pongaroa, Pahiatua and Eketahuna.

With the co-operation of farmers, the crew comes in to set up the drill and place the recording devices. Sometimes over very hilly and inaccessible countryside the team uses helicopters to bring in drilling equipment and place the recording devices.

When the testing is complete the restoration crew return and put the area back exactly as it was.

If an exploration company finds oil or gas in territory for which it owns an exploration permit, it then applies to the Government for a mining permit. The government would then get a royalty from the mined resources.

- WAIRARAPA TIMES-AGE (MASTERTON)