Maari

Location and Geology

The Maari oil field is situated in Block PMP 38160, approximately 80 kilometers off the South Taranaki coast in New Zealand's Taranaki Basin. The field lies at a water depth of 100 meters.

Discovery and Appraisal

The Maari field was discovered in 1983 by Diamond Offshore’s semi-submersible rig Ocean Bounty through the Moki-1 exploration well. Further appraisal was conducted with the Maari 1 well in 1998 and the Maari 2 well in 2003, which was drilled to a depth of 1,495 meters. These wells confirmed the presence of multiple oil-bearing sands, including the M2A and Manaia 1 reservoirs.

Reserves

The Maari field is estimated to contain approximately 101 million barrels of oil, with the primary reservoirs being the M2A and Manaia 1 formations.

Field Development

The development plan for the Maari field was approved in 2005, and development began in 2006. The project includes two satellite fields, Manaia and Matariki, which are tied back to the Tiro Tiro Moana platform and the Raroa FPSO (Floating Production, Storage, and Offloading) unit.

Infrastructure

• Platform: The Tiro Tiro Moana platform, installed in 2008, hosts eight wells – five production wells and three water injection wells. The platform consists of a 145-meter-high jacket with top decks measuring 50 meters by 55 meters, and a suction base. It was fabricated by Clough Limited and Kencana HL.
• FPSO: The Raroa FPSO, converted from the MT Andaman Sea tanker by Jurong Shipyard, has a storage capacity of 600,000 barrels of oil. It processes and stores oil, which is later transported to shuttle tankers. The FPSO is capable of processing 45,000 barrels of oil per day and 35 million standard cubic feet of gas per day. MODEC took over the operations and maintenance contract in October 2012.

Production

Commercial production of light crude oil from the Maari field began in February 2009. In the first year of production, New Zealand exported 6.5 million barrels of oil. Production rates in the second half of 2010 were estimated at 30,000 barrels per day. The field was initially expected to produce for 10 to 15 years.

Redevelopment and Life Extension

In 2014, OMV and its partners initiated the Maari Growth project to increase production and recovery from the field. This included drilling new wells, such as the MR-8A well, which targets previously undrained compartments and formations like the Moki formation. The project aimed to enhance efficiency and reduce operating costs per barrel.

As of 2024, OMV and its partners are working on plans to extend the life of the Maari Field beyond the current permit expiry in December 2027. This involves assessing potential production enhancement, cost reduction, and CO2 reduction opportunities, including workovers on existing wells like the MR6a well to produce oil from new reservoirs.

Partners and Contractors

• Operator and Partners: OMV New Zealand Limited is the leading partner and operator, holding a 69% stake. Other partners include Todd Maari (16%), Horizon Oil (10%), and Cue Taranaki (5%).
• Contractors: Key contractors include Jurong Shipyard for the FPSO conversion, Clough Limited for the platform installation, Kencana HL for platform fabrication, BJ Tubular Services for conductor installation, and MODEC for operations and maintenance of the FPSO.

Operational Details

• Drilling: The Ensco 107 jack-up rig carried out the drilling of the production wells. Additional drilling and workover activities have been ongoing as part of the redevelopment efforts.
• Production Capacity: The FPSO Raroa has a processing capacity of 45,000 barrels of oil per day and a storage capacity of 600,000 barrels.

The Maari oil field is a significant contributor to New Zealand's economy, particularly in the Taranaki region, and ongoing efforts aim to extend its productive life and optimize its operations.