Media Release
Live TV from Maui gas platform informs and entertains
13/06/2011
Tamati Coffey, the weather presenter on TV One’s Breakfast, broadcast live from Maui A this morning (Monday) in a first for the offshore gas platform operated by Shell Todd Oil Services (STOS).
Tamati Coffey, the weather presenter on Breakfast, broadcast live form Maui A.
The Maui field has been producing gas and condensate for more than 30 years and today viewers were given a glimpse of its operations via a satellite link with the TV One early morning programme.
Tamati Coffey crossed live from five different locations on Maui A to update the weather forecast and talk about life on the platform. He covered Maui facts and figures, safety, getting gas to New Zealand homes and what to do if there's an emergency.
"It was cool just being here. Lots of people don't know what the guys out here do, they don't even know it (Maui A) is here. We brought that to them," he said.
The four-person TVNZ crew had to follow the same strict safety rules as everyone else who goes on board. That included Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (HUET), a number of safety inductions and wearing the right protective gear.
The logistics of transmitting live television from offshore were challenging. Bulky satellite equipment was set up in one location with the 100 metre cables running from there to the camera at five sites for the live crosses from Tamati to Breakfast's Auckland studio and hosts Corin Dann and Petra Bagust.
The Maui staff worked hard to ensure everything ran smoothly and the Person In Charge, Chris Thom, said it was well worthwhile.
"Everyone pulled together to make things happen. It's good for them and the rest of New Zealand to see how we operate. There were quite a few phone calls home on Sunday to make sure their families were watching," he said.
The STOS General Manager, Rob Jager, supplemented the Maui story with a live interview from the control room to TV One’s AMP Business just before Breakfast.
"It was a great way of showing the positive impact of our business on the New Zealand economy. The guys on Maui can take a lot of pride in the important job they do," he said.
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Note: Shell is the majority licence holder of the Maui field (83.75%) along with OMV NZ (10%) and Todd Energy (6.25%).
Tamati Coffey, the weather presenter on Breakfast, broadcasts live from Maui A
