The Pasca A gas field is located approximately 85 km offshore in relatively shallow waters (around 90 m depth) in the Papua Basin in the Gulf of Papua. The field contains a wet gas that will be extracted and processed into condensate, LPG and dehydrated gas. The Project is Papua New Guinea’s first offshore gas field development, bringing stranded gas resources discovered 47 years ago into production.
ERIAS was engaged by Twinza Oil (PNG) Limited to undertake baseline data collection, prepare the environmental impact statement (EIS) and accompanying environmental management plans to secure the project’s environment permit.
Baseline data collection involved the use of equipment such as a remotely operated video (ROV) unit, oceanographic profiler, Niskin water sampling bottle, baited remote underwater video (BRUV), plankton nets, seafloor sediment sampler, offshore weather station and beam trawl.
A number of species new to science were collected during the surveys and with the assistance of scientists from the Museum of Victoria they have been documented for addition to Papua New Guinea’s scientific record.
The EIS was submitted to government in January 2016, and approved the same year. In March 2017 Papua New Guinea’s Conservation and Environment Protection Authority issued an Environment Permit for the project.
At the time of writing, Twinza are negotiating the Pasca A Gas Agreement with the Papua New Guinea government.