A ''rapid response'' team of up to 260 people has been set up to take to the water to hinder Anadarko's deep-sea drilling operations.

Oil and gas exploration plans such as Shell's for Southland should be subject to the rigours of a public hearing, writes Gary Taylor.

The first taste of petroleum money could be just weeks away in Dunedin, as oil giant Anadarko prepares to move its drilling ship into Otago waters.

Editorial: Just a year ago, the prospects for oil and gas exploration in this country looked bleak. It is particularly welcome, hence, that Shell has announced it will drill an exploratory well in the Great South Basin.

Two southern cities are battling it out for hosting rights to an oil and gas base, after confirmation oil giant Shell wants to drill a test well in the deep south.

A significant gas find in the Great South Basin would provide the largest economic boom to NZ people would ever remember, an analyst said.

Shell hopes drilling will produce Maui-size gas reserves

Environmental groups say a court ruling confirms the approval system for oil and gas drilling waters is a box-ticking exercise, and draft regulations will further reduce public scrutiny.

Officials in New Zealand's leading oil and gas region are rejecting claims that cows are being allowed to graze on land polluted by waste from mining and fracking operations.

Texan oil giant Anadarko's environmental credentials and the future of its New Zealand offshore exploration programme are being questioned as the company faces a US toxic site cleanup and compensation claim which could reach US$14 billion ($16.9 billion).

Greenpeace has opened its case against the Environmental Protection Agency and Texan oil giant Anadarko in the High Court at Wellington.

Energy Minister Simon Bridges has become the victim of a hoax website hack by Greenpeace activists opposed to oil drilling.

International oil and gas giants who have gained permits to explore NZ's seabed and land say they aren't deterred by the prospect of protest as it is a natural part of the petroleum industry.

Government efforts to entice major global oil and gas producers to New Zealand has borne fruit, with Norway's state-owned Statoil and Australian heavyweight Woodside Petroleum winning exploration licences in the latest permit awards.

Deep-sea oil drilling interests claim our Government could receive $300m from it. Is our "clean, green reputation" worth trading in for that, Matt McCarten asks.

Shane Jones' comments in support of Anadarko's deep sea oil drilling has left Labour scrambling to reconcile those views with the opposition voiced by other MPs.

Editorial: If Greenpeace is right, and there's an undersea oil well that could spill 40k barrels a day - then finding it would be very good news indeed.

The Environmental Protection Agency is confident of defending their decision to allow off-shore oil drilling in the Taranaki basin, Prime Minister John Key said today.

The offshore protest against Anadarko's deep sea oil exploration will come to an end today as Greenpeace takes the battle to court.

Deep sea exploration oil drilling off the Waikato coast by Texas-based oil company Anadarko began early today.

Deep sea exploration oil drilling off the Waikato coast has been delayed by "technical issues", Texas-based oil company Anadarko says.

It has been announced that Shell will drill for oil and gas in the Great South Basin off the coast of Otago and Southland. Vote now on whether you support deep sea oil drilling in NZ.

The scene is set for a skirmish off the North Island's west coast this morning as protest vessels hold fast to Anadarko oil drilling ship the Noble Bob Douglas.