Esso's big outlay on goods, services

LNG project operator spent K460m in Q2

 

PNG LNG project operator Esso Highlands Ltd (EHL), the subsidiary of ExxonMobil, spent more than K460 million (US$170 million) on goods and services during the quarter from April to June this year, The National reports.

It also employed a total of 2,300 nationals, representing 80% of the total workforce during the period in review, while training new workers, of whom 17% of the graduate trainees were women.

These were contained in a report covering the second quarter period which also showed the company’s environmental activities.

EHL managing director Peter Graham, in his executive summary report, said recruiting and training local citizens was another key component of the project’s national content plan.

Graham said the project would require a peak of approximately 12,000 workers, about one-third of which would be locals.

He said the workers were sourced across the project region including Gobe, Kopi, Kantobo, Hides, Komo, Moro and the LNG plant site areas as well as other areas of the country.

Graham also said the project’s approach to environment protection began with a thorough understanding of the physical surrounding and operating environment with the goal of minimising the project footprint.

He said to continue the effort in this area, “this quarter the project environment field team was expanded to enable site verifications across al the active construction worksites”.

“At the end of this quarter, approximately two-thirds of the overall survey programme and one-third of the onshore pipeline survey were completed.

“The pre-construction survey reports addressing archeological and cultural heritage, ecology, weeds and water quality were submitted to the Department of Environment and Conservation in which acceptance was secured,” Graham added.