new petroleum and energy minister in png

The article mainly refers to Palmer but the new Minister gets a mention as do the LNG project and Elk/Antelope


"CLIVE Palmer's gas tenements in Papua New Guinea -- which he has claimed to be bigger than the North West Shelf -- are likely to be reviewed following yesterday's cabinet reshuffle in Port Moresby that removed his ally William Duma from his job as petroleum and energy minister.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said the new minister, Nixon Duban, had been instructed to ensure that "policy and regulatory issues are immediately addressed to the satisfaction of all stakeholders".

Three years ago, Mr Palmer flew to Port Moresby to speak at a fundraising dinner for the United Resources Party founded and led by Mr Duma, which raised $600,000 for the election campaign in 2012.

Mr Palmer, whose close connection with Mr Duma goes back at least to 2008, said: "It's all happening in PNG. This is the promised land, and with a stable government, and support from the community, it can do anything."

He obtained from PNG's Petroleum and Energy Department, with strong support from Mr Duma, gas exploration tenements in and offshore from the Gulf province to the northwest of Port Moresby.

A resources expert in PNG said yesterday that such tenements were allocated without cost, but on the condition a set amount of work was conducted during a certain period -- or else their control was resumed by the government. Mr Palmer -- who did not respond yesterday to calls -- said last August that he had already spent more than $50 million exploring his PNG leases, and that one gas field there, 12km off the coast, could be worth more than $US35 billion, rivalling Australia's North West Shelf -- with its value many times that, once in production. He said the deposit had the potential to power a city the size of Brisbane for at least 100 years.

"It won't make much difference to my life, but it should be good for the people of PNG," he said.

Mr Duma has stayed with Mr Palmer when visiting Brisbane. Their relationship has become politically controversial in PNG.

It is understood that Mr Duban, who was formerly police minister, has been asked by Mr O'Neill to review oil and gas exploration leases, with a view to ensuring that development is promoted as rapidly as possible.

Mr Palmer's leases -- held through Palmer Petroleum and Chinampa Exploration, of which he owns 50 per cent -- are among those that will come up for assessment.

Mr Duban will take charge of PNG's official role in the commissioning later this year of the $19bn ExxonMobil-led PNG liquefied natural gas project, and in the development of the Elk Antelope field in Gulf province recently bought by French oil giant Total from PNG-based Interoil.

Mr O'Neill also dumped higher education minister David Arore, replacing him with Delilah Gore -- thus creating the first cabinet in PNG history to have more than one female minister."

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/clive-palmer-png-mine-mate-sacked/story-e6frg8zx-1226837666164