Developer spent K2b on landowner firms

 MORE than K2.48 billion was spent on landowner companies for their help in providing services to the PNG Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project since it started, ExxonMobil PNG Ltd managing director Peter Graham said.

Graham expressed the company’s gratitude to the local companies that resulted in the project drawing closer to its first shipment.

He said developing sound business relationships with Papua New Guinea companies, including landowner companies and contractors, was critical to the timely completion of the project. 

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank our suppliers, many of whom have worked with us since the project started,” he said. 

“The LNG project acknowledges the mutual benefit of such relationships built on trust and integrity, and the value created by small and medium enterprises for the economy of the country.” Graham said the project’s direct involvement with landowner companies facilitated the development of local capacity and capability. 

With the establishment of the Enterprise Centre (EC), Port Moresby in 2010, hundreds of small businesses have submitted to voluntary assessment in order to continuously improve, and the Enterprise Centre has assisted with targeted capacity building and independent business advice. “While we have supported the growth of the business sector in PNG and brought some new opportunities to local businesses, we are thankful for the support of the companies without whom major resource projects like PNG LNG would not be able to meet targets.” 

The PNG LNG Project is an integrated development that includes natural gas production and processing facilities, onshore and offshore pipelines and liquefaction facilities.