Has XOM already informed the government that it’s about to close its SPA with IOC?

[Resourcearb]

In the yesterday's article titled “Multi-billion dollar PNG LNG project near completion” in Australia Network News (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-02/an-png-lng-project/4930076), Paul Baker, executive director of PNG's Institute of National Affairs, said that the country can expect to start seeing increased revenue from the LNG project in 2017.  This is 2.5 to 3 years following first gas at PNG LNG, and if I’m construing this correctly, the PNG government may have already been informed by Exxon that it is preparing to close its SPA with InterOil and is targeting FID shortly thereafter for first gas at train 3 by early 2017.  Since an expansion underpinned by P’nyang and/or Hides will take at least another 2 years to reach FID and a new train takes as long as 36 months to build, Mr. Baker must be referring to first gas from a PNG LNG expansion underpinned by Elk/Antelope.  This could be another very positive indication of how close the deal is.