The Juha landowners of petroleum development license (PDL) 9 in Hela province want the National Government and Exxon Mobil to start constructing a gas pipeline project to bring it into production of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The landowners today while demanding the government also thanked Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua and the Department of Petroleum & Energy for their stance on clarifying Juha PDL-09 Project not identified yet but missed out on many privileges.
Leaders from both Hela and Nomad Local Level Government (LLG) in Western Province want to see the production of their gas resources out of the Juha PDL 9 as they have not yet received any royalty payments.
Frustrated PDL 9 Association Chairman Robert Angamane and Sinaku Malingi of Sinali Tribe with other clan leaders demanded to know when Juha gas resources project will be developed, or else the PDL should be revoked and landowners can seek other investment partners to develop the project with Muruk gas discovery.
The landowners and their leaders from both sides of Hela and Nomad LLG made the call following Petroleum Minister Kerenga Kua’s respond to questions raised by Western Governor Toboi Awi Yoto last month about the PNG LNG project being integrated with different PDL areas and that the pipeline had not been constructed into Juha.
Juha PDL 9 was granted license by Government in 2009 to produce gas for PNG LNG project. Unfortunately, this has not happened yet, there is no pipeline into the PDL 9, Juha area.
The landowner’s leaders urged Mr. Kua, Secretary David Manau and LOBID Chairman Gai Pobe to come to Koroba and complete the Clan Vetting exercise so landowners can participate in LBBSA and receive the lawful benefits for Royalty and development Levy payments.
The landowners further demanded Exxon Mobil to pay compensation for the many lives lost and those living with injuries because Exxon Mobil failed to identify landowners before getting license for Juha.
Landowners cited clause 15 of May 2008 Gas Agreement as evidence of negligence by Exxon Mobil and the State that the Agreement was superior to Oil and Gas law of 1998.
“Based on the 2009 UBSA Agreement in Kokopo, State and Developer identified that 98% of Juha PDL-09 Gas were part of SHP and 2% in Nomad LLG in Western Province. That was before the separation of Hela Province and Southern Highlands Province, for now we want developer and PNG Government to identify political Boundaries before confusing real Landowners of North Koroba LLG’s and Hela Province.
“The 98% of Project itself is in Hela Province and not in Western Province,” the leaders claimed.
They said the State has failed to honor the UBSA and LBSA Kokopo agreements.
“We demanded the National Government to complete the Clan Vetting in accordance with Cabinet Decision of November 2017 and conduct LBBSA forum in Koroba and start paying 100% of our lawful entitlement for Royalty Equity and Development Levy as required under PDL beneficiaries as per Oil and Gas Act of1998,” they reiterated.
The Juha 9 landowners say numerous attempts for answers have failed, and the next course of action will be file legal proceedings and hopefully will allow other investors to develop their gas project.