ROC first entered the Australian oil industry in 2000 via a farm-in to WA-286-P, in which the Cliff Head oil discovery was made. Subsequent farm-ins, exploration permit awards, acquisitions and relinquishments followed from 2002 to 2010. ROC currently operates one production licence covering the Cliff Head Oil Field in offshore Western Australia, offshore production licences covering the Basker-Manta-Gummy fields in Bass Strait, and has a non-operating interest in one onshore production licence in Western Australia.
ROC’s first well in Australia, drilled in December 2001, discovered the Cliff Head Oil Field, which commenced production in May 2006.
In September 2008, ROC acquired a 53.1% stake in Anzon Australia Limited ("AZA") through a Scheme of Arrangement Merger with Anzon Energy Limited. An off-market takeover for the remaining shares in AZA was announced on 16 June 2008 and completed in 4Q 2008. AZA was delisted from the ASX on 26 November 2008. AZA's Australian assets comprised exploration and production licences in the Gippsland Basin, Bass Strait, including an operating interest in the Basker-Manta-Gummy Oil and Gas Fields. AZA's New Zealand assets comprised one exploration licence in the Canterbury Basin, New Zealand, from which ROC has subsequently withdrawn (subject to government approval).
In May 2010, the New Zealand government granted a ROC-led joint venture the exploration license PEP52181 in the offshore Taranaki Basin, containing the Kaheru prospect. In 1H 2010, ROC acquired a non-operated interest in exploration license PEP38524 in the offshore Southern Taranaki Basin, via farmin by contributing to the cost of drilling Tuatara-1. PEP38524 was subsequently surrendered by the joint venture on 30 September 2011.
