Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu says the Kaikoura community has had frank and open answers from Anadarko Petroleum about its plans to drill off the coast.
Ninety people on Friday met Energy Minister Simon Bridges and the Texan company which has been given consent to do seismic work and analysis off the coast for three years.
Runanga chair Sir Mark Solomon facilitated the meeting and said the community was told about potential environmental impacts and what plans are in place to deal with a potential spill.
Sir Mark said Anadarko agreed to provide information about its policies and how it intends to carry out the work.
Anadarko was a partner in the oil rig that exploded in 2010 killing 11 workers and releasing millions of barrels of crude into the Gulf of Mexico.
Mr Bridges said community members were able to express their views and have their questions answered, but some were unconvinced.
However, he said the majority walked away feeling more informed and some even reassured.