delayed

http://www.energycurrent.com/index.php?id=2&storyid=12928



SYDNEY: Australia-listed Horizon Oil expects its Maari oil project off New Zealand to start production in November 2008. Bad weather conditions have held up development drilling at the Maari oil project, resulting in a delay in the production start up from the third quarter to fourth quarter of this year. First oil from Maari is expected to flow from up to five oil producers and to ramp up to 35,000 b/d after the initial start-up in November.



ENSCO 107, the contracted jackup, is waiting on the weather to improve before moving on to drill eight development wells from the Maari wellhead platform. The Maari joint venture will also use the rig to conduct appraisal drilling on other Maari and the Manaia structures.



The Maari oil project is owned by a joint venture comprising OMV NZ (69 per cent), Todd Maari Ltd (16 per cent), Horizon Oil International Ltd (10 per cent) and Cue Taranaki Pty Ltd (five per cent). OMV NZ, a wholly owned subsidiary of OMV, is the operator of the Maari project and permit.