The Government is moving to require deep-sea oil and gas explorers to have more safety plans in place.
Energy and Resources Minister Phil Heatley told TV3's The Nation programme that he would announce in the next few weeks a change to the Crown Minerals Act to make oil and gas operators more accountable for design, installation and the monitoring of their wells.
"They will need to put up a safety case scenario of exactly what they do in every single circumstance," he said.
He said the Marsden Point oil refinery had managed the movements of oil tankers successfully for 50 years by having good safety plans.
"We're saying when it comes to deep-sea oil and gas exploration they need the same plans in place. They need to operate just like Marsden Point does, very carefully, there is a plan for every scenario."
The Government has been keen to encourage more exploration of oil and gas deposits in New Zealand but has run up against an environmental lobby.
New Zealand has 18 basins with oil and gas deposits, and only one - the Taranaki basin - had been developed, Mr Heatley said.
NZN