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Kōrero: Taranaki region

Drilling for oil, 1957

Video file

Oil was first discovered in Taranaki in the 1860s and an oil refinery was built in 1913. The oil exploration shown in this film clip achieved success with the discovery of the Kāpuni gas field in South Taranaki in 1959.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Pictorial Parade 62. National Film Unit, 1957

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

Ngā whakaahua me ngā rauemi katoa o tēnei kōrero

Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Ron Lambert, Taranaki region – Energy and ironsands, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/video/25341/drilling-for-oil-1957 (accessed 4 June 2026).

He kōrero nā Ron Lambert, i tāngia i te 23 February 2010, updated 1 August 2015.