Taxpayers could end up being liable if a ship laden with 40,000 barrels of crude oil - which is sitting just 50 kilometres off the Taranaki coast - is involved in a spill.
The FPSO Umuroa is a floating production station attached to the abandoned Tui Oil Field.
It has been ordered to stay put over winter against its owner's wishes - who have argued doing so poses a safety risk.
Our Taranaki Whanganui reporter Robin Martin has more.
