Eric Watkins
OGJ Oil Diplomacy Editor
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 15 -- Papua New Guinea’s Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare completed a “positively satisfying and successful” visit to Japan and China in connection with the PNG LNG project.
“Asian governments contracting for long-term purchases of [LNG] wanted assurance that the PNG LNG project has the support of the PNG government,” Somare told local media on his return.
“The Chinese and Japanese governments believe that the strong commitment of the PNG government is necessary to ensure smooth progress of the PNG LNG project,” Somare said, adding that they are concerned about the role these imports would play in their respective economies over the next 30 years.
“We have been able to satisfy both governments on this score and to hold highly satisfactory meetings with prospective LNG customers that are in advanced sales negotiations with the project operator, ExxonMobil,” Somare said.
Somare travelled to Japan and China as a special envoy of Prime Minister Michael Somare, accompanied by four members of Parliament Anthony Nene, Martin Aini, Jimmy Miringtoro, and Francis Potape.
In Beijing, the delegation held talks with Zhang Ping, who heads China's National Development Reform Commission, the supreme government body that sanctions all international business transactions conducted by China's state-owned corporations, including Sinopec.
Somare also met with Sinopec President Su Shulin, and expressed satisfaction that Sinopec and ExxonMobil had built a good working relationship during negotiations on a commercial agreement that needed the approval of the NDRC.
In Tokyo, the delegation talked with the vice-president of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, which was one of the major prospective financiers of the multibillion dollar PNG LNG project.
The delegation also visited the Tokyo Power Electric Co. terminal in Japan that would receive LNG from Papua New Guinea once exports start in late 2013 or early 2014.
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].
