The five remaining offshore wells are expected to be drilled by the jack-up Ensco 56 over the coming year, said Shell.
Gas and condensate flowed from the first offshore well through the 7.25-kilometre subsea export pipeline to a processing production station at Motunui near New Plymouth, added Shell.
Joint-venture parties are operator Shell (48%), OMV (26%) and Todd Energy (26%).
Commercial production had originally been expected by 30 June 2006, but the project was plagued by platform installation problems and bad weather.
