IDG to be paid on Friday

By GYNNIE KERO
INFRASTRUCTURE Development Grants (IDG) of K35 million for landowners in two licensed areas (PDL 1 and PDL 7) in Hela will be paid to Hides Special Purpose Authority (HSPA) on Friday.
According to Petroleum and Energy Minister Nixon Duban, these funds would be used for projects already identified and not new ones.
He said HSPA has an operating account and was mandated to handle the IDG.
Addressing the landowners of these two PDL areas at Hides, Hela last Thursday, Duban assured them of the Government’s commitment to solve the outstanding issues related to the PNG LNG project.
The aggrieved landowners and the state signed a memorandum of understanding last Thursday that would see the clan vetting process completed and incorporated land groups established within 30 days.
Mineral Resources Development Company would then transfer royalties to the respective rights holders.
“These outstanding CVPs must be arranged, all ministerial determinations done, all ILG done, then we look at MRDC to open all your accounts,” Duban said.
Meanwhile, Duban, in a recent meeting with Total E&P PNG’s managing director Philippe Blanchard, assured him that the Government was standing firm with the company to ensure it met its target in developing and delivering the Papua LNG project in the Gulf as scheduled. “We want to show our support to ensure the wells are drilled, completed and also look at the current licence they’re holding. And as a government, because of the importance of the project, we are committed to ensuring that their concerns are given every support so that they are ready to obtain a PDL at the right time.”
Duban said it was important for Total to establish a good relationship with the people of Gulf by looking at the current PNG LNG experiences in terms of social mapping and landowner identification that must be done properly.
He said there was sufficient experience now in the current PNG LNG to be learnt from in this industry for new developers.
During the discussion with Blanchard, the minister also raised concern for commitment to domestic market obligation for domestic gas reservation, which they agreed to negotiate at the right time.
Duban made it clear that the Government was happy to see more interest from international partners, especially with ExxonMobil coming on board.
He said as a small nation exporting its LNG cargoes to the international market, PNG must consolidate its position internally very well and strategically position the market.