Gas security

What gas security relies on

Secure gas supplies rely on a number of features including:

• having enough gas production to meet demand
• an effective transmission and distribution system
• an effective regulatory regime
• a positive gas supply outlook
• a system to ensure safe and secure gas supplies.

A number of organisations contribute to these aims:

• Gas Industry Company(external link)
• New Zealand Petroleum and Minerals(external link)
• Commerce Commission(external link)
• Energy Safety(external link)

Lessons learned from the Maui pipeline outage

Following the 2011 outage of the Maui gas transmission pipeline, the Government reviewed the occurrence to ensure lessons learned were captured and appropriate steps taken to strengthen the gas system.

Review of the Maui Pipeline Outage of October 2011 [PDF, 892 KB] 

The government's report brings together the findings of a review of the performance of the contingency system, technical reports completed for the pipeline owner, and information collected on the effects of the event:

Gas Disruption Study

As part of the review into the Maui pipeline outage, we commissioned an independent study into the risks of major gas supply disruptions to assess industry risk management approaches and system resilience.

Gas disruption study [PDF, 1.9 MB] 

The study presented options for improving gas security and suggested issues for further consideration. It concluded that New Zealand’s gas supply system demonstrates significant resilience and unplanned interruptions are generally rectified quickly.

We released the Gas disruption study in 2014 and opened public submissions on the issues and recommendations raised in the report. We received 10 submissions.