Gas supplies will be gradually restored to all customers by mid-afternoon after repairs to the damaged Maui pipeline were given the all-clear.

Vector Energy says it's identified the source of the leak, but it's going to be a slow process to fix the pipeline. The company says removing gas from the line could cause an explosion..

A high-powered group of global oil and gas exploration companies have arrived in Wellington today for a targeted push to encourage new interest in New Zealand's under-explored frontier basins.