The March Monetary Policy Statement from the Bank of Papua New Guinea has urged the government to rethink the way it negotiates concessions and tax exemptions with new resources projects. Taking a strong position, it points to how previous agreements have been a factor in foreign exchange shortages and adverse trends in government finances.
Papua LNG
The Papua New Guinea State has signed the gas agreement for the US$10 billion (K33.7 billion) Papua LNG project with Total, ExxonMobil and Oil Search. The project, which will double PNG’s gas production, represents the second-largest foreign direct investment ever in the country.
The signing of the Papua LNG project deferred, PNG LNG signs Singapore deal, and Minister flags new Mining Act. Your weekly digest of the latest business news.
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has announced a date for the signing of the gas agreement for the US$13 billion Papua LNG project. Opening the PNG Petroleum and Energy Summit in Port Moresby yesterday, he also outlined some of the key elements the agreement will contain.
A fifteen-year plan to develop the Ihu Special Economic Zone is expected to be approved this month. Driving its development will be the infrastructure requirements for Papua New Guinea’s second liquefied natural gas project—Papua LNG.
Forex turnover more than K4b in October, call for joint PNG-Australia coastguard initiative, and one kina chocolate bar on sale locally. Your weekly digest of the latest business news.
French super major Total will look to have a final gas agreement with the Papua New Guinea government for the Papua LNG project by March 2019. If the project gets the final go-ahead, production should start in 2024, according to Jean-Marc Noiray, Managing Director of Total E&P PNG.
The Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has announced that Heads of Agreements will be signed for the Wafi-Golpu mine and Papua LNG project, to coincide with the APEC Leaders Week. In a pep to talk to business last week, he emphasised the benefits of hosting APEC 2018.
The Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, speaking at Business Advantage Papua New Guinea Investment Conference in Brisbane, said the mid-year assessment of the economy was better than anticipated. He said the growing investment interest in the Pacific from China, Australia and the United States is ‘healthy’.
Papua New Guinea’s second LNG plant is expected to be ready by 2023-2024, according to Total Managing Director, Philippe Blanchard. He told Business Advantage PNG the company is also keeping its eyes open for other energy plants in PNG.