Post Courier

[Putncalls]

Process gas in Gulf



By ANCILLA WRAKUALE



Gulf provincial leaders have pledged their full support to InterOil for the second liquefied natural gas project in Gulf Province, adding that all gas resources are processed in Gulf.

All three local MPs including their local level governments are adamant and remained unmovable on the no pipeline policy for their oil and gas resources.

Gulf Governor Havila Kavo said any developer engaged to the Gulf LNG project is required to build and operate a gas processing plant in Kerema Bay.

The Gulf leaders comprised of Governor Havila Kavo, Kikori MP and Labour and Industrial Relations Minister Mark Mapakai and Kerema Open MP Richard Mendai all echoed the same sentiments at a joint news conference with the new InterOil executives in Port Moresby last Friday.

The three Gulf leaders said the LNG project would be the single biggest economic project in the province and they want to see it progress.

Kavo said all processing of their resources should remain in the province so it provides employment and maximum benefit for the people there.

The leaders who met with InterOil’s newly appointed Executive Vice President Isikiel Taureka, said they would like to work together with InterOil to ensure that the project is in the best interest of the Gulf people.

They also took the opportunity to present to InterOil their position paper on ‘no pipeline policy’ for the Gulf LNG Project.

The developer for the project, InterOil Corporation, and its joint venture partnership with gas giant Pacific LNG and Exxon Mobil are still working towards a Final Investment Decision (FID) from the state.

The initial talks at the exclusive negotiations for InterOil and its joint venture partner, Pacific LNG Group, was that InterOil and Pacific LNG selling ExxonMobil Papu