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Story: Taranaki region

Taranaki oil exploration timeline, 1865–2009

  • 1865–67

    Eight wells hand-dug or bored at Moturoa, New Plymouth.

  • 1890–1901

    Moturoa field re-opened by the Samuel Syndicate.

  • 1906

    Moturoa Petroleum’s ‘Birthday Well’ hits a major gas and oil find.

  • 1906–13

    More than a dozen wells drilled in the Moturoa field by several firms.

  • 1913

    New Zealand’s first oil refinery opens in New Plymouth.

  • 1914

    New Zealand’s first oil refinery closes and the field closes.

  • 1930

    Moturoa Oilfields drills several wells; some start producing.

  • 1931

    A second small oil refinery opens to produce petrol and diesel.

  • 1950

    Beam pumps introduced and production increases; PEAK petrol registered and marketed locally.

  • 1954

    A third refinery commissioned.

  • 1959

    Shell D’Arcy Todd discovers the Kapuni gas field, the first of the ‘modern’ era.

  • 1969

    The huge Māui off-shore gas field is discovered.

  • 1972–75

    Moturoa field wells and refinery closed because of falling production.

  • 1979

    McKee oil fields discovered and begin producing.

  • 1982

    Kaimiro oil fields discovered and begin producing. Petrochem ammonia–urea plant opens at Kapuni.

  • 1984

    Petralgas methanol plant opens in Waitara valley.

  • 1986

    Tariki oil fields discovered and begin producing. Synfuel synthetic petrol and methanol plant opens at Motunui. Kupe offshore fields discovered.

  • 1987

    Waihapa and Ngaere oil fields discovered and begin producing.

  • 1992

    Ngātoro oil fields discovered and begin producing.

  • 1993

    Methanex buys Synfuel and Petralgas plants.

  • 1996

    Māui B production begins.

  • 1997

    Mangahewa field investigated.

  • 1999

    Rimu offshore fields discovered.

  • 2000

    Pohokura field, off Waitara coast, discovered. Windsor oil fields discovered and begin producing.

  • 2002

    Rimu and Kauri production begins.

  • 2004

    Motunui methanol plant mothballed. Tūī offshore fields discovered.

  • 2005

    Kupe production facilities begin.

  • 2006

    Pohokura production begins.

  • 2008

    Motunui plant re-commissioned.

  • 2009

    Mangahewa field proves commercially viable.

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Oil exploration in Taranaki has a long history, but gathered momentum in the second half of the 20th century, with the discovery of the Kāpuni (1959) and Māui (1969) natural-gas fields. In addition to the exploitation of these and other fields, plants and refineries have been built in the region.

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How to cite this page

Ron Lambert, Taranaki region – Energy and ironsands, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/25340/taranaki-oil-exploration-timeline-1865-2009 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ron Lambert, published 23 February 2010, updated 1 August 2015.