Welcomed by baptism of fire

The National Weekender

By CAPT BARNABAS MALKEN
A Papua New Guinea Defence Force platoon deployed into Hides Gas area to provide security was given its worst welcome by the recent earthquake and its aftershocks.
However, the platoon’s presence during that time restored peace and good order within the camp site and neighbouring villages.
Here is an account by contingent commander Captain Philemon Aruma of what had transpired then.
Our plans to quickly orientate and acclimatise to our new home for the next three months were instead interrupted by a ‘baptism of fire.’
Sunday Feb 25, 2018, the first day of our operational duty was slow and quiet as expected. However, the event that occurred the next morning was certainly unexpected and one that will be remembered for the rest of our lives. On that fateful Monday morning, Feb 26, 2018, around 0345hrs, the troops were awakened by this sudden and violent tremor and the noise created by the burning of excess gas in the gas conditioning plant.
Although confused at first, we managed to gather ourselves and assemble at the muster point for the initial head count. Fortunately all company employees and members of host government security forces were accounted for and no serious injuries were reported.
All the building foundations were unstable with electrical faults and plumbing defects everywhere. We were immediately requested to provide a barricade to prevent people from moving in and out of the buildings for people’s safety.
When the accommodation blocks were cleared by structural engineers, all employees were allowed to return to their rooms to get what little they needed before their immediate evacuation out of camp.
At first light when the tremor settled, helicopters flew in from Moro and evacuated all non-essential staff. The evacuation went on for the next two days while we were doing awareness and controlling crowd reaction from locals at the front gate of the Hides Gas Conditioning Plant (HGCP).
With the limited number of staff on the ground, the PNGDF contingent’s presence became even more significant. They provided escorts for all tasks carried out by the company from then on starting off with the damage assessment teams and eventually with the task of assisting the community affairs department (of ExxonMobil PNG Ltd) in supplying relief supplies to affected areas.
The soldiers of Operation Render Safe from both FSB Platoon and Engineer Platoon, who came into the area of operation on Monday Feb 5, 2018, were very much involved in the humanitarian aid and disaster relief programmes organised by ExxonMobil through its community affairs department.
The troops have assisted with the delivery of 20 tonnes of food and other consumable items and seven tonnes of water so far to Hides 4, Komo, Nogoli/Juni, and Angore to Halimbu junction and as far as Benaria and some care centres along the upstream pipeline to Moro.
We have also provided security for damage assessment teams, maintenance crews on well pads and pipeline, contractors repairing roads and bridges on the MSR and Komo airfield.
Today, the Murray Barracks Force Support Battalion composite platoon is based at Hides Gas Plant area and an engineer platoon is based at Angore. A PNGDF section is always on weekly rotation at Komo airfield providing vital asset protection 24-hour basis, seven days a week.
They are tasked to provide escorts, security support for Exxon Maintenance, project teams and community affairs teams. They also help the police maintain law and order in the villages.
Their immediate area of operation is Hides Camp, well pads B to G, Angore Well Pads A & B, Komo Airfield and Main Supply Route. They will live with these experiences for the rest of their lives.

  • Captain Barnabas Malken is a PNGDF public relations officer.