PNG Prime Minister
Peter visited the new LNG site at Antelope 5 Wellhead in Gulf Province on
Monday as part of ongoing preparations to open the next LNG project in Papua
New Guinea.
During his visit to the site in the hinterland
of Kikori, the Prime Minister also witnessed the first flaring of gas at the
Antelope Wellhead 5. At the conclusion of a briefing on the project,
which will be operated by French company Total, the Prime Minister said he was
encouraged by the progress being made on the Elk-Antelope LNG development and
extends the Government's full support.
"This multi-billion-dollar project is
expected to employ more than 10,000 people during construction," PM
O'Neill said.
"We envisage that the Elk-Antelope field
has gas for at least two production trains, which would double Papua New
Guinea's current LNG output.
"I thank Total for being the major operator
of this project and for its commitment to work and live with our people in the
process of developing this resource for us.
"Total is increasing staff numbers in Papua
New Guinea to join people already working on the project around the world.
"We know that our joint venture partners
will continue to work closely with the government in ensuring our citizens have
the maximum possible opportunity in benefiting from the resource that will be
developed in the near future.
"Our government looks forward to engaging
with major stakeholders and we can assure you that we have the same commitment
that we gave during the first project."
The Prime Minister said the first export of LNG
to come from the project is still some years away, but the activity associated
with the construction phase will continue to increase.
"We expect the first stage of front-end
engineering and design to begin later this year.
"Following this, early work on the project
will begin in 2016 with first construction contracts to be awarded in 2017 and
first production in the early 2020s.
"As we move forward we expect the joint
venture to discuss the preferred site for an LNG plant later in the year.
"The progress being made in the advancement
of this project is very good news for people in the Gulf region, and very good
for all Papua New Guineans."
PM O'Neill was accompanied by Petroleum and
Energy Minister Nixon Duban, InterOil Chief Executive, Dr Michael Hession,
Total Managing Director in Papua New Guinea Philippe Blanchard, and Oil Search
Managing Director Peter Botten.
