Types of petroleum permits

These permits are defined in the Crown Minerals Act 1991 and the Minerals Programme for Petroleum 2025.

Overview of the minerals and petroleum regulatory environment

All petroleum permits are classified as Tier 1, as they are complex, higher risk, and have operations requiring a more proactive management and regulatory regime.

Petroleum prospecting permits

A petroleum prospecting permit allows the holder to carry out general investigations of an area, such as collecting geological and geophysical data. Drilling is not allowed under a prospecting permit.

Petroleum prospecting permits will trigger an Open Market competitive process. You can apply for a petroleum prospecting permit from 25 September 2025.

You can make an application over any available area. While there are no specific size limits, the area you apply for must not be larger than the maximum allowed for an exploration permit in the same area.

Open Market competitive process

Speculative prospectors

Speculative prospectors are persons who carry out prospecting activities for the sole purpose of on-selling the information gathered to petroleum explorers and producers.

If you are applying as a speculative prospector, you may seek a type of prospecting permit that is non-exclusive. Having a non-exclusive prospecting permit means:

• others can have a permit over the same area your permit covers 
• you won’t have a subsequent right to apply for an exploration permit
• your application won’t trigger an Open Market competitive process.

When evaluating your application, the Minister will determine if you are a speculative prospector by considering information such as your business model and business history.

Speculative permits are granted for a short duration, usually up to 2 years. In some cases, they may be granted for longer, up to a maximum of 4 years.

Petroleum exploration permits

A petroleum exploration permit allows the holder to search for petroleum deposits and assess whether it is possible to extract them. Activities allowed include sampling, geological and geophysical surveying, geological studies, testing of petroleum discoveries and well drilling.  

Petroleum exploration permits are issued for up to 15 years, depending on the location. Permits may be extended for up to four years for appraisal purposes - a second four-year extension is also possible. 

Petroleum exploration permits are exclusive, and they carry subsequent rights to apply for a mining permit. 

New applications for petroleum exploration permits will trigger an Open Market competitive process. You can apply from 25 September 2025.

Open Market competitive process

Petroleum mining permits

A petroleum mining permit allows the holder to develop a discovered petroleum field to extract and produce petroleum. 

These exclusive permits are granted after an exploration permit and are granted based on the evaluation of an appraisal programme and work programme. 

The size and duration of the permit is limited to the extent of the discovery but can last for a maximum of 40 years.

Licenses

Rights to prospect, explore and mine for petroleum issued before 1991, under the Petroleum Act 1937, are known as ‘Licenses’.

Land access

Permits do not give the permit holder automatic rights to access the permit area. Generally, for exploration and mining activities, permit holders must arrange land access with the landowner and occupier.

For minimum impact activity, 10 days' notice is required (except over special classes of land, such as urban conservation land).

Permits and land access in New Zealand [PDF 713KB]