Last updated 10:22, July 7 2015
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More from the LocalsOil Exploration surveys targeted by Taranaki environment group
Andy Jackson
A self-appointed environmental watchdog is buying advertisements warning people in central and South Taranaki against letting oil companies on their land to conduct seismic surveys. Both Tag Oil and Shell Todd Oil Services (Stos) are planning to carry out such exploration work this summer - Tag at its Cheal wellsite and Stos at Kapuni. Taranaki Energy Watch (Tew) is a decades old grassroots activist group, which in the past has taken the Taranaki Regional Council to the Environment Court and made submissions to Parliament on energy issues. The group is now sending out flyers and placing small adverts in publications around Taranaki warning people not to let the two companies on their property, claiming once they get a foot in the door they will return wanting further access to drill wells and "turn your property into an industrial zone." The ads include a link to an online document that warns the companies will soon be targeting areas around Rowan, Kaponga, Mangatoki, Kapuni, Matapu, Okaiawa, Ngaere and Stratford. The flyers say thecompensation oil companies offer was not worth the "potential to seriously affect your property valuations, lending ability and insurance in the future." Stos offer a liaison fee of $500 for seismic surveys, $375 per kilometre of receiver line and a fee of $50 per source point on the land. Tew's new spokeswoman Sarah Roberts said people were not aware of the ramifications of seismic surveys. "We want people to understand why they should be concerned." Since the campaign began she has had "lots of people calling in and asking questions and asking what they should do about signing or not signing." "We're trying to make people aware that by signing up for the survey it gives the oil companies a foot in the door for other work that is harder to manage and harder for individual people to be able to say, I don't really like this. "If you are concerned about the impacts of having these industries right beside you and in your communities, this is your opportunity to say no at the early stage." In the flyer Tew state Tag Oil has identified more than 70 development drilling locations in the Cheal oil field. But Tag Oil country manager Max Murray said that information was out of date. "A much smaller amount of seismic survey work will now be required and around 20 wells are now expected to be drilled." All of this work is being done in existing Cheal exploration or mining permits, he said. "In most cases the survey work and drilling will be carried out on land where Tag already has access agreements with landowners. Most of the wells will be drilled on existing pads. One additional pad within the Cheal G permit area may be required." Tag has a very strong history of working well with landowners, Murray said. "For the current work programme we may need access agreements for one or two new properties." Stos general manager Rob Jager said the land liaison for a possible onshore 3D seismic survey had begun in South Taranaki near Kapuni. "This involves listening and talking with hapu and neighbours about the potential work programme which will uncover more information about the geology of the area. The survey area covers pockets of land from Manaia to Stratford." If the full project is approved by the Kapuni Joint Venture, it will support the ongoing search for natural gas within the field, Jager said. In a letter to landowners Stos says the survey will be carried our between November, 2015 and March 2016. |
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