Prime Minister Hon. James Marape met with senior executives of ExxonMobil Corporation at the company’s global headquarters in Houston, Texas, to advance strategic discussions on Papua New Guinea’s next generation of LNG developments, including Papua LNG, P’nyang LNG, and Wildebeest gas projects.
The high-level meeting included:
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Mr. Darren W. Woods, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, ExxonMobil Corporation
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Mr. Dan L. Ammann, President, Upstream Oil and Gas
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Mr. Peter Clarke, Senior Vice President, Global LNG
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Mr. Dinesh Sivasamboo, Chairman and Managing Director, ExxonMobil PNG Limited
Accompanying Prime Minister Marape were:
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Hon. Jimmy Maladina, Minister for Petroleum
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Hon. Rainbo Paita, Minister for Mining
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Mr. Dairi Vele, Chairman of the State Negotiating Team (SNT)
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Mr. Daniel Rolpagarea, State Solicitor
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Mr. Augustine Mano, Managing Director, Mineral Resources Development Company (MRDC)
Prime Minister Marape described the discussions as “substantive, productive, and forward-looking,” underscoring ExxonMobil’s full and unequivocal commitment to Papua New Guinea’s resource sector.
“I am pleased to report that ExxonMobil reaffirmed its commitment to the sequencing and development of Papua LNG, P’nyang LNG, and Wildebeest,” Prime Minister Marape said.
“The company confirmed that all three projects remain central to their strategic investment portfolio, with sequencing essential to maintain construction momentum, ensure steady investment flow, and generate employment opportunities for our country.”
ExxonMobil provided an update on Papua LNG—led by TotalEnergies as the operator. Despite cost pressures, executives reaffirmed that all joint venture partners, including ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, and Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited, remain committed to collaboratively resolving outstanding issues.
A joint meeting involving the Government of Papua New Guinea, TotalEnergies, ExxonMobil, and other project stakeholders is being planned to address recent cost escalations and progress towards the Final Investment Decision (FID) for Papua LNG.
Regarding the Wildebeest gas field—currently in the exploration phase—ExxonMobil executives confirmed ongoing deep-well exploratory activities and expressed strong interest in partnering with the PNG Government to evaluate its future development potential.
“Our government has clearly indicated a preference for these projects to be properly sequenced: Papua LNG first, followed by P’nyang LNG, then Wildebeest,” Prime Minister Marape explained.
“This sequencing ensures continuity across the LNG sector, aligning final investment decisions and construction timelines over a 10- to 15-year horizon.”
“We anticipate Papua LNG will reach FID first, followed by P’nyang and Wildebeest, creating a decade-long pipeline of economic activity, job creation, and revenue generation for Papua New Guinea,” he added.
Prime Minister Marape was encouraged to learn that more than six Papua New Guineans are now employed at ExxonMobil’s global headquarters in Houston—a direct outcome of early investments in human capital development.
“As Education Minister in 2008–2009, I initiated efforts to train Papua New Guineans to manage and operate LNG projects,” he reflected.
“Today, I am proud to see our nationals not only leading the PNG LNG project but also serving at ExxonMobil’s global headquarters. It’s a powerful testament to what is possible when we invest in our people.”
He thanked ExxonMobil for its confidence in Papua New Guinean professionals and encouraged the company to continue offering global opportunities for capable and hardworking citizens.
Following the Houston meeting, Prime Minister Marape traveled overnight to Washington, D.C., where he will undertake a two-day programme of engagements with senior U.S. Government officials and executives from Newmont Corporation, further advancing bilateral relations and attracting responsible investment into Papua New Guinea’s resource sector.
Concluding the Houston leg of his mission, Prime Minister Marape expressed gratitude for ExxonMobil’s ongoing partnership and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to responsible resource development.
“Our gas resources must deliver lasting benefits to our people. With trusted partners like ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies, we are confident these projects will drive the economic transformation our country needs as we enter our next 50 years,” he said.