ERIAS was engaged by French company, Total E&P PNG Limited, as the lead environmental consultant on the Papua LNG Project. The project comprises the production and processing of gas and condensate from the Elk-Antelope field in Gulf Province, transporting it via a pipeline overland and then offshore in the Gulf of Papua to the existing PNG LNG producing and exporting facility in Caution Bay, Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Our work included undertaking initial screening and risk assessment to inform pipeline alignment and LNG plant location, regulatory compliance mapping and comprehensive social and environmental baseline studies, which included:
- Geology, terrain and soils.
- Surface water and sediment quality.
- Seabed and coastal geomorphology.
- Aquatic (freshwater and marine) and terrestrial biodiversity.
- Vegetation mapping.
- Land and natural resource use.
- Community health.
- Governance and economics.
- Noise and air quality.
- Cultural heritage and archaeology.
- Marine and river traffic.
- Community and household surveys.
ERIAS also led the environmental assessment process and early stakeholder engagement, which was aligned with International Finance Corporation (IFC) performance standards. This process involved the preparation of an environmental inception report (EIR), a stakeholder engagement plan (SEP), an environmental impact statement (EIS) and a detailed construction environmental and social management plan (CESMP).
The project involved the coordination of a team exceeding 100 people, 30 subcontractors, 434 field days and teams in France, PNG, Canada and Australia. The project was completed over a 4.5-year period. The EIS was accepted by CEPA in early 2020.