‘LNG construction work makes good progress’

Oil Search Ltd announced yesterday that 14,300 people were employed by the PNG LNG project at the end of last year, including some 8,600 Papua New Guineans.

About 1,000 women were among those employed at the project, 94% of whom were Papua New Guineans.

The US$15.7 billion dollar project, which is due to be completed in 2014, is entering the peak period of construction with ongoing work at all sites extending from Hides in the Southern Highlands and the pipeline route through Gulf Province and via Central province as well as at the LNG plant site, just outside Port Moresby.

By the end of last year about 130km of the 400km offshore pipeline had been laid.

Over 100km of onshore pipeline had been welded with route clearance and pipe laying underway.

The first phase of the gas tie-in at the Kutubu central processing facility and construction of a new control room was completed with laying of a new sub-sea pipeline underway.

Oil Search managing director Peter Botten said mechanical completion of the offshore and onshore sections of the pipeline would be completed this year, with additional work at the LNG plant site and elsewhere.

He said recent political developments had not hampered development activities, which have continued uninterrupted.

“We look forward to working with the new government following the elections planned for June 2012,” he said.