Landowners threaten closure

Dominic Puja Elwin

A landowner company has threatened to disrupt the LNG project if the Government and the Developer failed to address outstanding issues that they have allegedly failed to address.

The Hides PDL 1 Landowners Association has given the State and the PNG LNG Project developer, Esso Highlands to respond to their petition on August 22 to resolve outstanding issues or face the disruption of the project.
Speaking on behalf of the landowners, Hides PDL 1 Landowners Association chairman Hare Hengi said they were adamant that after the execution of the UBBSA and Hides LBBSA agreements, the State and the Project Developer had turned a blind eye and have given deaf ears to the issue. He said various attempts have been made by landowners to address those prevailing issues but since landowner leaders have on occasions compromised with stake holders for personal interests, the effort to pursue those issues were dropped.
“Since those issues were not successfully addressed, the majority of genuine landowners residing within the vicinity of the Hides PDL 1 area feel that all their beneficial rights are deprived and they are definitely aware that all their grievances would hardly be entertained when and during gas commercialisation in 2014 and beyond so they have collectively sanctioned Hides PDL 1 LNG Landowners Association to reach the Government and Developer for a round table dialogue with the landowners so as to sort out these issues once and for all.
“The Government and the Developer (Exxon Mobil) as key stakeholders to the PNG LNG Project must extend their hands now to accept this petition and admit liabilities, honour neglected commitments and comply with provisions in the UBBSA and LBBSA without any delay,” Mr Hengi said. The issues raised by the Hides PDL 1 Landowners through the petition are as follows:
1. Outstanding seed capital for Hides PDL 1;
2. Wellhead rental payment;
3. Water resources compensation;
4. UBBSA and LBBSA legislated nlinelandowner entitile funds
In the meantime, all the Principle Landowners of the Hides Project area were not happy with the Government since many of the issues raised in retrospect were not taken into consideration and sorted out. The landowners in a bold move threatened that if no positive response materialise from the Government and Developer within the said time frame (12 days), then they would raise the alarm for the following planned disruptions to be executed by all frustrated landowners at the Hides PDL 1 Project site, HGCP Project Site and Pipeline Route to:
1.Shut down all operation at Hides Power Plant;
2.Shut down all Wellheads (Wellhead 1,2,3,4 and 5);
3.Closure of Nogoli and Kopalu Camp;
4. Shut down operation of Juni LNG Technical College;
5. Disrupt Pipeline Construction (at designated route); and
6.Blockage of Roads
“We hereby urge the Government to consider this sensitive matter seriously and be cautious this time that the vast majority landowners of Hides PDL 1 including other affected landowners from Hides PDL 7, Komo Township and Angore PDL 8 would respect the law and pledge allegiance for the good of the Hides PDL 1 Project which is expected to contribute a greater percentage (85%) of natural gas for the PNG LNG Project,” Mr Hengi said.
Post Courier online 29 August 2013.