CANADIAN oil and gas drilling rig provider High Arctic reports that it has received formal notification from its main customer in Papua New Guinea that it is suspending all drilling operations in the country until further notice. High Arctic said the customer’s decision to suspend and defer operations is in reaction to the current low oil and gas prices and the COVID-19 pandemic. The company is now working with the
PNG oil and gas explorer and developer Horizon Oil has decided to terminate the employment of CEO Michael Sheridan while it investigates allegations the company made a payment to a senior Government official to acquire an interest in Petroleum Retention Licence (PRL) 21 in 2011. Mr Sheridan was originally suspended on February 12, 2020, when the company elected to further investigate claims related to the PRL-21 deal. Horizon told shareholders
AUSTRALIAN petroleum company Horizon Oil says it has no actual knowledge of any wrongdoing relating to a reported transaction to PNG officials to acquire an interest in Petroleum Retention Licence 21 (PRL 21) in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. The company has also denied knowledge of reports that leaked documents concerning the matter have been provided to the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Securities and Investment
PNG Prime Minister James Marape says Papua New Guinea welcomes any investments in the petroleum sector during a meeting with representatives of Japanese investor, LNG Japan Corporation, in Port Moresby. LNG Japan is studying feasibility of potential LNG-to-power projects in PNG, leveraging its long experiences in the LNG industry, including a small-scale domestic LNG sea transportation project in Indonesia. It is also looking at producing methanol as a raw material
THE world-class PNG LNG Plant has recorded another significant safety milestone, reaching over 17-million hours worked without a Lost Time Injury (LTI). On 15 August, the plant achieved six-years of operations without any serious injury that prevents a person from returning to work. Alyssa Warner, PNG LNG Plant Asset Manager, said this significant milestone reflects the performance of our world-class workforce and business partners. “Six-years without an LTI is an
OIL Search has launched a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Scholarship Programme for Papua New Guineans attending technical schools and universities, continuing its long history of providing young people with opportunities to kick-start their careers. The scholarships worth K5.7m is open to all Papua New Guineans, with priority given to candidates from Oil Search’s project impact area provinces based on merit and includes support to secondary schools. The scheme
PNG’S leading petroleum company Oil Search Ltd reports that the PNG LNG Project co-venturers have entered into a mid-term LNG sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Unipec Singapore Pte Ltd. The deal is for the supply of approximately 0.45 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG over a four-year period commencing in April 2019, taking the total contracted volumes from the Project to approximately 7.9 MTPA. “The SPA with Unipec,
PNG is on the threshold of substantial new investment that could double its LNG production in the coming years, according to the country’s leading petroleum company. Oil Search managing director, Peter Botten, made this forecast whilst advocating major new infrastructure must be developed in a responsible and sustainable way. Speaking at the PNG Petroleum and Energy Summit in Port Moresby, Mr Botten said the global LNG market is highly competitive
The PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum has welcomed the announcement by the Petroleum Minister, Dr Fabian Pok, that he will table a Bill on the proposed National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in Parliament this year. The Chamber President, Mr Gerea Aopi CBE, said it has been many years since the PNG Government agreed to establish a National Petroleum Authority and it was commendable that Dr Pok has undertaken to finalise
SEARCHER Seismic has announced the completion of the regional multi-client airborne gravity, gravity-gradiometry and magnetics survey covering the transition zone of the Gulf of Papua. The Roho Airborne Gravity, Gravity-Gradiometry and Magnetic Survey covers approximately 60,700 square kilometres (~52,700line km) along the southern coast of PNG. The survey compliments several marine seismic and geochemical projects recently completed by Searcher aimed at assessing the hydrocarbon potential of the Gulf of Papua