Taranaki's Maui gas field is reportedly about to undergo a $60 million upgrade that is expected to extend the life of the offshore development beyond 2020.
The Taranaki Daily News said it understood the Maui Joint Venture, run by Shell Todd Oil Services, had already approved the work, which could start next month. Shell Todd declined to confirm or comment, citing commercial sensitivity.
The project is understood to involve a crew of 35 moving on to the previously unmanned Maui B platform for five months.
The plans are seen as good news for the Taranaki oil and gas industry, as the effects of the global recession, coupled with the winding down of the lucrative South Taranaki Kupe project, started to bite.
The joint venture is also considering carrying out the same work on the bigger manned Maui A platform, which began producing gas 30 years ago.
