The Government has awarded 10 new oil and gas exploration permits - five onshore and five offshore.
Energy Minister Simon Bridges said on Thursday that New Zealand is an under-explored country.
The onshore permits awarded are across Taranaki and the East Coast, while the offshore permits are in Reinga-Northland, Taranaki and the Great South Canterbury basins.
Three new international companies have permits including Statoil, which has a 15-year permit to explore off the Reinga-Northland coast between depths of 1500 and 2500 metres.
Statoil is 67% owned by the Norwegian government. The company said it would be doing three years of initial investigative work before it deciding whether to drill an exploratory well.
Vice-President for exploration Pal Haremo said the company is familiar with protests in New Zealand over deep sea exploration and this is standard.