The PNG LNG project is one of the world’s largest resources projects. Led by Exxon Mobil, the other partners are Oil Search, the PNG Government, MRDC, AGL, Santos and Nippon Oil. The project proposes to commercialise the Hides, Angore and Juha fields and the associated gas resources in the operating fields of Kutubu, Gobe and Moran in the Southern Highlands and Western Province. 

The gas will be treated at a gas conditioning plant at Hides and then transported via pipeline to a 6.3 million tonne per annum LNG liquefaction plant and storage facility located some 20k NW of the capital Port Moresby. 

The PNG Government recognises this multi-billion dollar spend as a major development in the country’s economy. The figure of $30 billion has been printed along with the comment “A doubling in the PNG economy”.

 The project can be broken up into six parts:

1. Early Works (Upstream Infrastructure) – the major civil works being done along the route of the onshore pipeline together with the highway between Mendi and Tari.
2. EPC 1 – The project Telecommunications infrastructure.
3. EPC 2 – The sub sea pipeline of approximately 500k from the coast near Kikori to the LNG plant site 20k NW of Port Moresby in the National Capital District.
4. EPC 3 – Gas treatment and liquefaction plant and gas storage and condensate extraction plant plus export jetty and marine facilities at site 20k NW of Port Moresby.
5. EPC 4 – Conditioning and production facilities at Hides in the Southern Highlands.
6. EPC 5 – The onshore gas pipeline from Juha to Hides and then to the coast near Kikori in the Gulf Province.

Currently, Exxon Mobil has called for tenders from preferred bidders for all of the EPC’s. Most tenders will be awarded early in 2010 and works commence soon after.

As this project gathers momentum a wide range of wonderful employment opportunities will be available across the breadth of this exciting project.

We are already seeking expressions of interest (EOI) from candidates who have PNG experience in the fields of Training and Community Relations and who have experience in Landowner relationships. Experience going back to the Kutubu pipeline construction project would be seen as highly appropriate.

We are also seeking EOI for skills and qualifications in the classifications of:

• Full list
• mobile equipment operations and supervision
• trades – mechanic, HEF, welding, electrical, carpentry, rigging
• surveying
• civil engineering
• mechanical engineering
• stores / warehousing / purchasing /logistics
• design and front end engineering
• environmental

Potential LNG Project employees are encouraged to submit their details to JDA or JDA/Wokman as soon as possible.