The former Maui asset manager with Shell Todd Oil Services (STOS) was coaxed out of retirement recently by NZOP, the Tui Area (and PEP 38460) operator, and a subsidiary of Houston-based Transworld Oil.

“NZOP sought me out and entrusted me with this job, which is almost full-time at this stage of the Tui area development,” Browning said.

“I’m at the front end for project things here and, in addition, am doing much of the liaison with government departments and other stakeholder organisations.”

Browning – a 43-year STOS veteran – said things were progressing rapidly with the project for the development of the offshore Taranaki Tui Area fields (Tui, Amokura and Pateke).

“We have a project management team based in Houston doing all the drilling design and planning, equipment procurement, FPSO specification and process design.”

Browning said he had already visited the 15-strong Tui Area management team in Houston – run by project management organisation Alpha Petroleum Services – and was impressed with what he saw.

“Things are moving extremely quickly and that’s positive and exciting for New Zealand.”

Another ex-STOS man, Neil Spedding is handling the local logistics and financial administration of the Tui Area project, working from the same New Plymouth office as Browning.

Fellow PEP 39460 partners New Zealand Oil & Gas and Australian Worldwide Exploration earlier this year said Tui project capex was expected to increase from US$150 million once a final investment decision was made during the third quarter of this year, following the completion of the initial study.

The PEP 38460 partners plan to source a semi-submersible rig to drill four planned development wells and at least one likely exploration well to be drilled during the first half of 2006. This would be aimed at increasing recoverable Tui Area oil reserves, presently assessed at 20-30 million barrels, with initial flows of around 50,000 bopd.

PEP 38460 partners: Transworld (via New Zealand Overseas Petroleum) (operator and 45%), NZOG (via Stewart Petroleum) (12.5%), AWE New Zealand (20%), Mitsui E&P New Zealand Limited (12.5%), and

Pan Pacific Petroleum (via WM Petroleum) (10%).