The latest batch of deepwater frontier acreage up for grabs offshore New Zealand has been unveiled by the country’s Energy and Resources Minister, Simon Bridges, while nominations are also already being sought for acreage to be offered in 2015.

The country’s third annual block offer has made available five offshore release areas in the Reinga-Northland Basin, Taranaki Basin, New Caledonia Basin, Pegasus-East Coast Basin and Great South-Canterbury Basin. The 2014 tender will close on 25 September with permits planned for award during December this year.

The New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals ministry also opened nominations for Block Offer 2015, asking for expressions of interest in basins or sub-basins. Nominations close on 3 June, with final block offer release areas for 2015 to be announced in April next year.

The Reinga-Northland Basin, Taranaki Basin, New Caledonia Basin and Pegasus-East Coast Basin all lie off the North Island, while the Great South-Canterbury Basin is off the South Island.

The Reinga-Northland Basin acreage being offered totals 75,190.50 sq km off the west coast of Northland, and is largely unexplored. One exploration permit was awarded in the basin in the 2013 round. The New Caledonia Basis is completely frontier, again lying off the west coast of the North Island just south of the Reinga-Northland Basin acreage, and covers a total area of 49,051 sq km.

Further south and stretching down to the northern tip of the South Island, the Taranaki Basin acreage covers 54,920.92 sq km, and has nearby producing wells including Maui (gas condensate and oil), Tui Area (oil), Pohokura (gas condensate) and Kupe (gas condensate). Two permits were awarded in this basin last year.

The Pegasus Basin acreage lies off the lower eastern shores of the North Island and covers 75,009.04 sq km. The first exploration permit for this basin was awarded in late 2012, a well will be drilled this year.

Lastly, the Great South-Canterbury Basins acreage covers 141,755 sq km off the lower east coast of the South Island.