The starting date for the Environmental Protection Agency hearing related to the plans of Austrian company OMV has been set down for July 30, but hearing locations are unknown.
The company has said if commercially viable amounts of oil and gas were found in any of 10 prospects offshore from Dunedin, it could drill three exploration wells and seven appraisal wells.
A marine discharge consent related to the plans to release contaminants to sea was released in April.
The application attracted 266 submissions, 215 of which requested that the application be declined and 10 of which supported the proposal.
From the total of 266 submissions, 89 people from Otago and Southland submitted on the plans, 29 of whom made it clear they wished to speak at the hearings.
Reasons for wanting the application declined included there could be harmful pollutants discharged into the ocean and continued natural gas use would exacerbate the effects of climate change.
Supportive submitters said the potential for further exploration provided employment opportunities for the region and an enhanced security of energy supply.
Submitter Adam Currie, of Dunedin, said the application should be declined as there was "so much unknown about the project".
"The risks are unknown, the effect on ocean acidification are unknown, the location is unknown ... and the application has failed to account economic costs associated with the proposed activity."
The Otago Southland Employers' Association submitted in favour of the application saying there could be "significant" benefits to the Otago and Southland community and economy.
"OMV is a responsible corporate citizen with a good environmental record, and their operations comply with New Zealand's stringent environmental and health and safety regulations."
