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National | Mining

Largest ever oil and gas block offer announced today

The largest ever oil and gas block offer was announced today, including 2,600 km2 in the Maui's dolphin sanctuary.

The Green Party says it is a disaster for our environment.

Green Party energy and resources spokesperson Gareth Hughes says, “This is a disaster for the environment and yet another example of National backing a polluting industry instead of investing in the clean-technology jobs that New Zealanders want.

It makes no sense to open up 525,515 km2 for oil and gas exploration when we know that stopping climate change means we can't burn three quarters of the fossil fuels that have already been discovered.

The Government is so desperate for more oil it is offering permits for drilling and seismic surveying in 2,600 km2 of the Maui's Dolphin sanctuary.

We could be leading the world in clean energy and profiting from exporting our expertise but instead the National Government is trying to drag us back to the oil age of last century by increasing support for the fossil fuel sector by almost 600 percent.”

Table: Historical block offer release areas.

Block Offer

release area

km2

2012 block offer

43,505

2013 block offer

190,967

2014 block offer

405,000

2015 block offer

429,298

2016 block offer

525,515