M&Ms by the tanker load

22 Feb 2011

Since 2006, Hooker Pacific has been transporting “M&Ms” by the tanker load, seven days a week for Todd Taranaki Limited.

Noel Baylis and Geoff Tate

M&M is the colloquial name for oil condensate going from the rejuvenated McKee and developing Mangahewa fields on the outskirts of New Plymouth to the Omata Tank Farm near the Port of Taranaki.

Todd Energy took over the fields as owner / operator from Shell in 2006 and embarked on a field redevelopment programme so that today, McKee and Mangahewa are very significant producing onshore fields in New Zealand. As the McKee field matures, production is gradually shifting from oil production to the development of the overlying gas cap. Mangahewa production is still in development.

Todd put out a tender to transport the oil which Hookers won because they had the complete package, says McKee plant manager, Noel Baylis. Hookers won because they are established here in Taranaki, their reputation was sound, they have a good operational safety record—and they have the experience,” says Noel.

And that experience goes back a long way. Hookers Operations Supervisor, Geoff Tate, who supervises fuel haulage transport from McKee, was the driver who took the third tanker load of oil out of the McKee field back in 1984 when state-owned Petrocorp Exploration Limited owned and operated the field.

“We now have three truck and trailer units working seven days a week transporting out of the production station,” explains Geoff. “We have a excellent working relationship with Todd — and the local community to the point that our transport times work around the school bus schedule both mornings and afternoons.”