A symposium on oil and gas in Hawke's Bay has heard questions remain outstanding about exploration in the region, including whether it is commercially viable.
More than 200 people attended the symposium, which was organised by Hastings District Council to give an overview of the oil and gas industry and what it might mean for Hawke's Bay.
GNS scientist Dr Kyle Bland told the symposium it is still not clear how much oil and gas is available for commercial extraction in large parts of Hawke's Bay.
Dr Bland said very little is currently known about oil and gas deposits in the area.
He said the area is probably decades behind Taranaki in its knowledge about oil and gas deposits.
Dr Bland said more seismic surveys and drill holes will be required to determine whether there are commercial quantities of oil and gas in the region.
