Exhibit 4.7.1

(AUSTRAL PACIFIC LOGO)

April 23, 2007

PRIVATE &
CONFIDENTIAL

Mr. Thompson
B. Jewell
385 Birchcliff Road
Birchcliff AB T4S 1R6
Canada

Dear Thom,

On behalf of
the Board of Directors of Austral Pacific Energy Ltd.., I am pleased to offer
you the position of Chief Executive Officer. The basic terms of this offer are
as follows:

|                          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|------------------------- |  | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Title and
  Summary:      |  | Chief
  Executive Officer of the Company.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
|                          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Reporting
  Relationship: |  | You will
  report to the Board of Directors.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
|                          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Commencement
  of Duties: |  | We look
  forward to you joining at the earliest possible date, anticipated to be May
  1, 2007.                                                                                                                                                                                                    
|                          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Board
  Membership:       |  | Upon receipt
  of consent documentation.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
|                          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Initial
  Compensation:   |  | An minimum
  annual base salary of NZ$350,000 which will be subject to an annual review.
  Upon arrival in New Zealand, coincident with or after the joining date, a
  comprehensive review of your personal situation will be undertaken and
  appropriate changes to the base salary will be made.
|                          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Annual
  Incentive Plan:  |  | You will
  participate in the Companys Annual Incentive Program with goals and metrics
  approved by the Remuneration Committee of the Board.                                                                                                                                                      
|                          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Long Term
  Incentive:    |  | You will
  participate in the Companys Long Term Incentive Program according to the
  provisions of the plan.                                                                                                                                                                                      
|                          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
|Stock
  Options:          |  | At the time
  of your employment you will be awarded 400,000 options to purchase common
  stock in the Company. These options                                                                                                                                                                       

|                                                                                                                     
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|                                                                                                                     
|                                                                                                                     
|Austral Pacific Energy Ltd.                                                                                          
|                                                                                                                     
|Incorporated in British Columbia, Canada                                                                             
|                                                                                                                     
|Level 3, 40 Johnston Street, P O Box 5337, Lambton Quay, Wellington,
New Zealand PH:+64 4 495 0888FAX: +64 4 495 0889
|                                                                                                                     
|EMAIL: mail@austral-pacific.comWEBSITE:
  www.austral-pacific.com                                                    

---



|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                     
|------------------ |  | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------
|                   |  | will vest
  one-third after six months, one-third after twelve months and the last third
  after eighteen months after your date of joining. The strike price will be
  the closing price on your day of joining.                                                                                             
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Relocation:        |  | You will be
  provided assistance with reasonable and customary relocation costs to the
  Wellington area. These expenses include temporary living accommodation costs
  in Wellington for a period to be agreed with the Board.                                                                              
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Housing            |  | You will be
  provided with rental of appropriate rental property, reasonable furnishings
  for the rental property for a period of time to be agreed by the Board. In
  addition you will receive the equivalent of one months salary to cover
  incidental settling in costs.                              
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Personal
  Travel: |  | Annually,
  you and your spouse will be provided the opportunity to return to Birchcliff
  for personal business at the Companys expense. Normally this expense will
  not exceed the cost of two round-trip business class tickets.                                                                         
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                     
|Benefits:          |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                     
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Five weeks
  annual holiday                         
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                     
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Company-paid
  dues for professional affiliations   
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                     
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Reimbursement
  for all reasonable business expenses
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |                                                     
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Annual
  medical evaluation                         
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Tax Advice:        |  | You will be
  provided, at Company expense, tax advice and preparation services for filing
  of your New Zealand, Canadian and United States tax returns. You will be
  responsible for all taxes.                                                                                                            
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Visas:             |  | The Company
  will arrange appropriate visas for you and your family. You will provide any
  necessary documentation to facilitate this process.                                                                                                                                                              
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Termination        |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Without
  Cause:   |  | Upon any
  termination without cause you will be paid an amount equal to 12 months base
  pay.                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Resignation:       |  | Any
  voluntary resignation by you will relieve the Company of any further
  compensation obligations other than your retention of any previously vested
  amounts. Any resignation due to constructive termination without cause will
  entitle you to severance as though you were terminated without cause.
|                   |  |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
|Repatriation:      |  | In the event
  of termination of service, the Company will pay reasonable and customary
  costs to repatriate you and your family to Birchcliff within ninety days of
  the termination.                                                                                                                      

2

---



I believe as
CEO, you will have many exciting challenges and considerable personal
satisfaction; and at the same time, your leadership will provide new energy and
direction for the business. I look forward to your affirmative response and
will be happy to discuss any matter that might assist you in making that
decision.

If you find
the provisions of this term sheet acceptable, please indicate your acceptance
of our offer below. Upon receipt of the signed letter, we will instruct our
attorneys to draw up an Employment Agreement incorporating these terms.

Yours truly,

David Newman
Chairman

AGREED AND
ACCEPTED 
this ____ day of ________  ______

|                     | 
|-------------------- | 
|                     | 
|Thompson B.
  Jewell | 

3

---