Running out of gas and time (New Zealand)

[jpak]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3610285a1864,00.html

In the hunt to find more natural gas, time is running out.

It's running out not only for the exploration companies hoping to find another Maui-sized field but also for the main electricity generators faced with a decision about whether to import liquefied natural gas.

And it may also be running out for leading electricity and gas consumers staring down the barrel of much higher prices in a post-Maui world.

Assuming there are no big gas finds in the next two to three years, the shortfall will start to bite from as early as 2010. At present, gas provides 24 per cent of New Zealand's primary energy, about half of which is used to generate electricity.

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[Dead_Parrot]

1. Yeah, tell me about it...

...I hope they get a move on with the new wind farms... :( Although there are a couple of fields that might prove useful - I believe NZ Oil are waiting to scrounge an exploration rig off someone to try them out. Certainly, betting the future on LNG is a giant leap backwards by any standards.

Even more annoyingly, the government will probably have to take the wraps off it standby gas powerstation soon (~400Mw, IIRC) since it's been a dry year and the hydro lakes are close to minimum. Bummer.

And just to add insult to injury, it's pissing down with rain at the moment!