Preparations are now in progress for the much-anticipated Papua LNG Development Forum, following a directive from Minister for Petroleum, Jimmy Maladina, for the State Negotiation Team (SNT) to begin coordination with project operator TotalEnergies.
Mr Maladina confirmed that the development forum was a key requirement under the Oil and Gas Act 1988 and must be completed before a Petroleum Development Licence (PDL) could be issued.
“The Development Forum is an important step for the Papua LNG Project. It is required under the law and provides the platform for the State, project developers, and affected landowners to agree on benefit sharing and development commitments,” Minister Maladina said.
He revealed that initial meetings between the SNT and TotalEnergies have already taken place to discuss critical aspects such as budgeting, logistics, and scheduling arrangements for the Forum.
“Work on the Development Forum has kicked off with a meeting between the State Team and TotalEnergies. The focus is now on finalizing the budget and logistical details to ensure the Forum is held soon,” Mr Maladina said.
He said the Government was moving with urgency to meet all necessary requirements to facilitate the Final Investment Decision (FID).
“The Government is committed to seeing the Papua LNG Project move into its development phase. The State Team is pushing hard to meet all requirements and support an early FID. The recent signing of the Joint Equity Marketing Agreement between Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited and TotalEnergies only confirms this,” Minister Maladina said.
He added that his Ministry and the Department of Petroleum were working in close collaboration with all relevant government agencies and stakeholders to ensure the Development Forum is conducted efficiently and transparently.
“We are ensuring that this process is managed properly, with accountability and transparency, as we move closer to this critical milestone for the Papua LNG Project,” Minister Maladina said.