As a regular visitor to the energy capital of New Zealand: New Plymouth, D H Blanshard's comments (‘NZ oil products won't benefit us', The Weekend Sun, March 21) just cannot go unchallenged. D H Blanshard is quite correct that the bulk of New Zealand oil production is exported, but the truth is the Whangarei refinery is unable to refine NZ-produced crude as we only produce less than one month's annual usage.

The Whangarei refinery therefore has long-term contracts to import Dubai crude, which it then refines, and our better quality crude is all exported and achieves better prices as it is very low in contaminants etc.

The statement there is no savings to NZ, in overseas funds, is incorrect because if we import a billion dollars of oil and export $250 million of oil, the difference is just $750 million - so there is an obvious corresponding saving.

It is widely reported there are 6000-plus jobs involved in the New Zealand energy industry and I may add the bulk of them are also high-paying jobs, which means they also pay high taxes - something New Zealand very much needs.

While the industry only has a small number of personnel on rigs or platforms (there are only five), there are thousands of people such as shore staff, truck drivers, and contractors etc who all benefit from the growing NZ energy industry.

It has recently been reported the Taranaki region pays the highest average wage in NZ and taking into account the energy industry, the dairy industry, along with tourism, the region is booming - so I say long may it last.

Mike Baker, Bethlehem.