27 Jan 2015

NZ company awaiting Solomons oil licence

7:10 am on 27 January 2015

A New Zealand Company, Duncan Hardie Group, has applied for a licence to conduct offshore oil prospecting in Solomon Islands.

The Prime Minister was informed by the Wellington-based company that it had submitted an application to the last government and is still awaiting approval from the Petroleum Board.

The company's locally-based representative says the group has good standing, with its founder having more than 40 years of experience in the energy industry.

He says the group has been involved in many energy projects in the Middle East as well as the Hunter-Queensland Gas Pipeline project in Australia.

The Prime Minister says based on the information rendered to him he thinks the group is of good standing.

He says the government would like to see a competent group conduct an offshore oil search operation.