Firm engaged to pipe Raicoast gas

By ELLEN TIAMU
THE people of Romu-Gurumbo village, Raicoast, Madang province, are engaging an overseas company to pipe gas from their land to be used for electricity at townships in the area.
Gas deposit sites were discovered in the area and with the incorporation of the Olvoh Landowners Association last year, the group sought help from provincial and national authorities to develop the gas project.
But when that failed, non-governmental and church-run organisations stepped in and directed them to overseas contacts.
The association, consisting of eight major clans in the area, said it had finally established investor funding to set up a gas-electricity power plant.
Two world-class mines, Ramu nickel and Marengos Yandeva, are already operating in the Raicoast area, and with other spin-off businesses there, the association believes its power project will not be short of customers.
The landowners have submitted expressions of interest and invitations to Petromin and Shell to be co-partners in the project.
Principal landowner chairman Joseph Yamba said they were excited at the prospect of getting the project off the ground.
He said it was a multi-million kina development.