28 May 2008
Media release

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The joint venture owners of the Pohokura gas field development Shell Exploration New Zealand Ltd, Todd Energy and OMV NZ, today announced the final milestone in the construction phase of the project has been safely delivered with the departure of the Ensco 56 rig from coastal Taranaki.

Construction of the onshore Production Station situated at Motunui, near New Plymouth began in 2005. The drilling of three onshore wells was completed in August 2006. The Ensco 56 recently completed drilling a further five wells, approximately eight kilometres offshore which tie into the onshore production station.

Natural gas from Pohokura has been flowing since September 2006 and is being fed into the North Island gas network, with the condensate piped to storage tanks at Omata near New Plymouth for shipping to refineries.

ENDS