The Papua LNG project is moving further closer to its eventual commencement of the construction phase following the recent submission of six required petroleum license applications to the Department of Petroleum and Energy. Deputy Secretary of the Department Mr. David Manau, was there when the license applications were submitted. Mr. Manau said that his department will continue the review and evaluation of each submission and as the Front End Engineering and Design phase progresses, they will work to complete the process. Petroleum and Energy Minister Kerenga Kua also applauded TotalEnergies EP PNG (TEP PNG) for filing the application for a Petroleum Development License (PDL) in a timely manner, which will now take the department several months to review. TEP PNG Managing Director, Jean-Marc Noiray said that this step marked the continued development and progress of the project. “Sticking to the highest principles of quality and compliance, are absolute requirements for this world class project to succeed,” he stressed. He also thanked Secretary Manau and the department team for their steady support to the progress of the whole project, including the very efficient way in which the Landowner Beneficiary Identification (LOBID) process was carried out and concluded for the upstream part of the project area. The Managing Director also thanked their joint venture partners, ExxonMobil and Santos, for their input in the submission of the license applications. T he next step now is to submit the draft National Content Plan to the Department of Petroleum and Energy.