Commodity prices were reasonably stable over the month and precious metals strengthened. But the weakness in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) prices continued. Business Advantage PNG’s monthly review of Papua New Guinea commodity and financial markets.
Mining & Energy
Mineral deposits are becoming increasingly difficult to develop and the mining industry is looking to the Papua New Guinean Government to deliver flexible policies that will benefit a maturing industry, Nautilus Minerals Chief Executive Officer, Mike Johnston tells Business Advantage PNG.
Cross-industry collaboration and help from the Papua New Guinea government are required to get the most out of the gas in Western Province, David Lester, Chief Office Representative for Repsol PNG tells Business Advantage PNG.
It has been a bad month for most commodity prices, but not precious metals. The weakness in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) prices has continued, with the price falling sharply over the last month. Business Advantage PNG’s monthly review of Papua New Guinea commodity and financial markets.
The operator of the second Papua New Guinea LNG project says overcoming technical and environmental issues will determine if Total joins the existing PNG LNG trains. Managing Director, Philippe Blanchard, says a decision will be made within the next 5-6 months.
The big mover this month was the cocoa price which was up 6.6 per cent for the month according to Kina Securities. Otherwise commodity prices moved sideways or weakened. Business Advantage PNG’s monthly overview of commodity and financial markets.
James Lau, Managing Director of Rimbunan Hijau Group tells Business Advantage PNG that he sees positive developments with hotels, agriculture, gold and the country’s preparations for the 2018 APEC meeting. But he says continuing weakness in commodity prices will limit Papua New Guinea’s growth in the short to medium-term.
If the giant Panguna copper mine on Bougainville is ever to re-open, many complex problems must be solved, including the status of the former miner, Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL). In this exclusive interview with Business Advantage PNG, BCL Chairman Rob Burns outlines its strategy to return to mining.
Peter Botten, Managing Director of Oil Search tells Business Advantage PNG that the company’s Papua New Guinea assets are ‘highly profitable’ despite the low prices. He says the company is focusing on developing a five year plan for ensuring sustainability, managing exploration and working with the community.
Papua New Guinea’s state petroleum company, Kumul Petroleum, sees its role in developing oil and gas projects in partnership with developers, according to Managing Director, Wapu Sonk. He tells Business Advantage PNG there is enough gas in the country for no less than five LNG trains.