Exxonmobil ordered to pay compo to land group

THE Department of Petroleum and Energy has ordered Exxonmobil PNG Ltd to pay compensation to the Tukuba Walo Incorporated land group from Hides 4 PDL 7 for the damage to their land.
Chief warden James Palma could not reveal how much was to be paid but said it dated back to the construction and start of the PNG LNG project.
The Hides conditioning plant is on the land belonging to land group.
“A warden hearing was conducted and the decision was handed down last week,” Palma told The National.
“The decision is the exercise of the warden’s powers under Section 118 of the Oil and Gas Act.”
It arose from a dispute between Tukuba Walo and ExxonMobil which the group registered with the warden’s office.
“The warden’s decision awards some compensation to be paid by ExxonMobil to Tukuba Walo but I’m not at liberty to disclose the amount,” he said.
“Other payments were made into the trust but this decision is in relation to compensation in terms of environmental damage, land clearing and all of those compensatory items.
“That means the compensation that is outstanding.
“Exxon did make some offers in 2014, but the ILG refuted the compensation offered because they thought it was a little unfair,”he said.
ExxonMobil has received a copy of the warden’s decision.
“If any of the parties do not accept the decision, they are at liberty to file a judicial review proceedings at the National Court,” Palma said.
Chairman of the Tukuba Walo ILG Edward Pano said they have been fighting for around 12 years for the decision.
The National was unable to get comments from ExxonMobil PNG Ltd yesterday before publication.