By JAMES APA GUMUNO
THE Moran oil field in the Southern Highlands province was temporarily shut down last week when angry landowners walked in and almost set everything on fire.
Southern Highlands acting provincial police commander Insp Papato Sedron yesterday said the landowners were frustrated at being left out of the development forum organised by the Minister for Petroleum and Energy in Alotau, Milne Bay province.
The meeting has since been deferred.
The landowners were also angry because they alleged that the National Government and Oil Search had failed to do a proper social mapping and land demarcation for them to be recognised as legitimate landowners.
They want to benefit from royalties and other project funding provided under section 47 of the Oil and Gas Act.
Mr Sedron said 10 landowners were arrested by Moro police at the Moran oil field and charged with threatening and unlawfully being on the premises.
They were released on K100 bail each and will appear before the Mendi District Court on Feb 17.
Meanwhile, Oil Search yesterday said oil was flowing from the Moran well site .
Oil Search corporate affairs coordinator Ruth Waram said the company had conducted social mapping and landowner identification studies as required by the Oil and Gas Act and had submitted this to the Department of Petroleum and Energy.