As Operator of the Papua LNG project, TotalEnergies EP PNG limited (TotalEnergies), renewed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) between Caritas Technical Secondary School (CTSS) and Don Bosco Technichal School (DBTS) on Wednesday 18 March. The renewal of the MoU’s between the two Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions reinforces TotalEnergies commitment to supporting workforce development and empowering youth in Papua New Guinean. The renewed sponsorship for 2026 will reach 48 students in total, 15 female students from Caritas and 33 male students from Don Bosco, from the Gulf and Central province where the Papua LNG Project will located.
The significant signing event was attended to by Caritas Technical Secondary School’s (CTSS) Directress Sister Mazzarello Choi, as well as the Rector Father Ambrose Pereira and Principal Mr Martin Dai from Don Bosco Technical School (DBTS) . Both Sister Mazzarello and Father Ambrose Pereira expressed their gratitude in the partnership and its importance in empowering youth, providing discipline, capacity building and creating successful career pathways for young Papua New Guineans.
TotalEnergies have supported more than 460 students since 2019, amounting PGK 1.3 million across various TVET institutions. Sponsorship is covering full tuition fees, workshop fees, registration, required Peronnnal Protective Equipments or uniforms.
Students from Caritas will be supported to complete their TVET National Certificate 1 (NC1), TVET National Certificate 2 (NC2) and Diplomas program in Hospitality Management, Commercial Cookery and Operations and Office Administration. The renewed partnership is adding much needed support to ensure the successful education of 15 female students from the Gulf province. CTSS continues to emporwer young women and create meaningful opportunities through lifeskill and business courses.
Similarly, students from Don Bosco will be supported to complete year 11, year 12, and ITC2.
Both TotalEnergies, Caritas Technical Secondary School (CTSS), and Don Bosco Technical School (DBTS) share a strong commitment to educational advancement, skills development, and empowering youth in Papua New Guinea. These institutions are united by values such as integrity, discipline, service, excellence in training, and partnership. TotalEnergies’ long-term vision aligns with CTSS’s focus on collaboration and promoting learning, while Don Bosco values integrity and striving for excellence, all contributing to preparing skilled technicians for the country’s industrial workforce.
The renewed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between TotalEnergies and the two technical schools provide targeted sponsorships, enabling students from key regions to access quality vocational education. These partnerships empower youth and help develop skilled professionals, supporting Papua New Guinea’s growth.
As Operator of the Papua LNG project, TotalEnergies EP PNG limited (TotalEnergies), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Papua New Guinea University of Technology (Unitech) on Wednesday, March 18 aimed at strengthening engineering education and fostering future talent in Papua New Guinea.
The partnership will support four (4) final year Engineering students (2 females and 2 males) to achieve an internationally accredited engineering degree, at Unitech. The students will be from the Gulf Province, location of the upstream Papua LNG project, and Central Province. The 2026 support is valued at PGK 130,400 and TotalEnergies is committed to supporting such programs beyond this year.
The event was an achievement attended by Professor Ora Renagi the Vice Chancellor of PNG University of Technoloy and Mr Arnaud Berthet Managing Director of TotalEnergies EP PNG, who both signed the MOU partnership, ensuring the four academicaly high performing students, will receive quality engineering degrees.
In support of the MOU partnershp signing were noteabley distinguished guest, included Mr Simon Sanagke the National Petroleum Agency (NPA) Executive at National Content, Health Safety Sustainability and Environment (HSSE) Director at TotalEnergies EP PNG Ms Claire Viaud, Mr Kaul Gena Member of the Governing Council Mr Kaul Gena and Unitech Board; and Mr Benedict Mick CEO of the Institute of Engineers PNG.
Mr Arnaud Berthet expressed TotalEnergies’s commitment to supporting the education of students from the Gulf province through such university pathways.
Professor Ora Renagi stated his appreciation of the partnership saying “Unitech is very proud to partner with TotalEnergies and we embrace the partnership. We have a vision of providing world class education, to positively impact the lives of our people. Standards of higher education should translate into higher standards in people’s lives.”
In addition HSSE Director Claire Viaud highlighted the renewed commitment of TotalEnergies to engineering excellence stating “As we look ahead to the construction and operations phases of the Papua LNG Project, strong engineering capabilities will be crucial for PNG’s future.”
TotalEnergies has worked closely with Unitech to identify high achieving students from the project area of influence, who have shown commitment and dedication to their studies during their time at university. Such qualities are important at university and will translate into a winning formula once in the highly competitive job market in PNG. TotalEnergies remains committed to supporting education initiatives at Unitech to ensure PNG talent is developed for the prosperity of the nation as a whole.
Every year, International Women’s Day invites us to reflect on the achievements, resilience, and inspiration of women in Papua New Guinea and around the world. In the tapestry of these stories, Mildred Nigi’s journey stands as an inspiration of hope and determination through all seasons both good and challenging. Her story is an example of how one must stand firm when faced with life’s unpredictable storms and emerge stronger.
Mildred’s heritage, shaped by mixed parentage from East Sepik, Central, and Milne Bay, brings together rich diverse cultures that enable her to stand tall as an example of a strong modern Papua New Guinean woman. Her diverse background and upbringing molded her into becoming the strong women she is today. Her life, much like a seafaring voyage, is marked by courage and perseverance. She has weathered tempests that threatened to overwhelm her, yet each challenge has added to her inner strength and wisdom. Mildred’s trust in God, her faith, and her ability to rise above adversity has helped her through difficult seasons in her life.
Mildred currently holds the position as the Security Coordinator at TotalEnergies EP PNG (TotalEnergies) and has been a valued member of the Security team since June 2022. For the past four years Mildred has provided much needed support to the Papua LNG Project in the Gulf Province, to teams both on site and at various locations. Her commitment and steadfast perseverance is evident in her work ethic, especially amongst her peers.
Her educational journey is defined by determination and a commitment to personal growth. She began her academic path at Evedahana Community School at 9 Mile in the National Capital District, laying the foundation for her future achievements. Her pursuit of excellence continued at Marianville High School, where she further developed her skills and aspirations, before advancing to Passam National High School, a testament to her dedication to learning.
Beyond secondary education, Mildred sought out specialized training by earning a Basic Police certification from Police Officer Cadet training at Bomana Police College. This accomplishment reflects her drive to serve her community and embrace new challenges. She complemented her law enforcement training with tertiary studies, receiving a Certificate in Accounting at the Institute of Business Studies in 2002.
Mildred’s diverse academic and professional certifications—spanning police training and accounting—highlight her versatility and unwavering commitment to self-improvement. These achievements are a source of pride, underscoring her resilience and readiness to make a meaningful impact in both her professional and personal life.
Mildred’s inspirations are rooted in the lessons of her grandparents, in the comforting words of Rhonda Bryne, and most deeply in the teachings of the Holy Bible. Her ambition is simple, yet powerful: to be a blessing to those around her.
Her favorite quote, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31), encapsulates the empathy and kindness that so many women share.
Although Mildred has had significant accomplishments in her academic and professional life, she stated that she has faced trials in life that have challenged her. She opened up, sharing a personal family tragedy that occurred a year ago.
In August 2025, Mildred’s blended family endured a heartbreaking tragedy. A motor vehicle accident took the lives of her eldest son and her brother, leaving her extremely devastated. Her husband sustained injuries that require ongoing hospitalization, and she expressed her sadness from the fact that after incident dynamics within her family changed. She lost a valued relationship with her daughter as communication ceased. She expressed not having open communication with her daughter is a burden she bears. She hopes one day in the near future that she is able to reconcile with her daughter. Her faith in God has been her strength she remains hopeful that the mother daughter relationship will be repaired.
Throughout Milred’s journey she has remained faithful to God, humble, focused and open minded. She remains certain that all challenges can have peaceful resolutions.
As most recognize and appreciate the strong women in their lives around International Women’s Day, be encouraged by Mildred’s remarkable story. TotalEnergies remains committed to supporting the success of their female staff in PNG. Mildred is an example of success through resilience, humility and perseverance. Her story is compelling in highlighting how one must remain firm when faced with life’s unpredictable storms and emerge stronger.
Success for many of us is not a destination but a journey, one paved with determination, resilience and a deep sense of purpose. Joyce Ainui’s story is a testament to this truth. Born in East New Britain Province and raised throughout Papua New Guinea, Joyce’s life and experiences offer inspiration for anyone striving for excellence, to aim high, be resilient and stay determined in achieving your goals in life.
From an early age, Joyce was shaped by the values of her parents—both former bankers whose careers meant frequent moves for their family. As the only daughter and middle child among three siblings, Joyce learned adaptability and gratitude. She recalls, “We didn’t grow up with much, but my parents always found a way to ensure we had everything we needed and often what we wanted.” This humble upbringing, coupled with their unwavering support, instilled in Joyce a profound appreciation for family, resilience, and the importance of giving back.
Joyce’s journey as a community development practitioner at TotalEnergies EP PNG (TEP PNG) is grounded in her commitment to helping people and communities become stronger, more resilient, and more equitable. She joined the Papua LNG Project in 2023 as a Community Investment Officer, a role she held for a year before being moved to a new role in recognition of her strong performance. She now serves as the Community Development Procurement Coordinator, where she coordinates procurement, logistics, and compliance for all Community Development Programs within the project’s area of influence.
For Joyce, real job satisfaction comes from seeing tangible improvements in people’s lives whether it’s children in some of the most remote schools in Gulf Province continuing their education in newly built classrooms, communities gaining access to clean water, or health workers having proper accommodation to live in and serve the people. Knowing she contributes to these meaningful changes is what drives her passion for community development.
Her passion for cooking, volunteering, and traveling reflects a zest for life and a love for connecting with others. As a reliable team player, Joyce tackles challenges proactively and is always ready to lend a helping hand. Her devotion as a loving mother to two wonderful sons reminds us of the importance of nurturing those we care about and find strength in the bonds we build.
Academic excellence is another pillar of Joyce’s story. Graduating as the top student in her cohort, she pursued further studies in Anthropology, Sociology, and Archaeology, driven by a curiosity for cultures and communities. Her surprisingly good memory of people’s birthdays reflects her attentiveness to those around her, a trait that builds meaningful relationships and lasting connections.
Joyce’s academic journey is a story of dedication, perseverance, and an unyielding commitment to excellence. From an early age, she understood the value of education and made it her mission to excel at every level. Attending Vunapope International Primary School in East New Britain Province from Prep to Grade 6, and later Coronation Primary School in the National Capital District for Grades 7 and 8, Joyce consistently stood out as a hardworking and diligent student. Her drive to succeed led her to Gordon Secondary School in NCD for Grades 9 through 12, where she continued to push herself academically and develop a genuine love for learning.
Despite the challenges that come with frequent moves and adapting to new environments, Joyce remained focused on her goals. Through sheer persistence and intellectual curiosity, Joyce earned a place at the prestigious University of Papua New Guinea. There, she pursued a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Anthropology, Sociology, and Archaeology, with a minor in Political Science. Her academic accomplishments not only opened doors for her professional career but also inspired those around her to strive for their own educational goals.
Inspiration, Joyce believes, comes not just from famous figures but from ordinary people rising above challenges. She takes pride in seeing young Papua New Guineans break barriers and thrive professionally. Their determination, resilience, and talent inspire her to believe in the limitless potential of their people and the bright future ahead. For Joyce, the Japanese concept of “Ikigai”- living with purpose and staying engaged in the community—is more than a philosophy; it is a way of life. The message of the book Ikigai, centered on meaningful living and strong social bonds, resonates deeply with her and fuels her vision for a happier, connected, and purposeful future.
Joyce also finds motivation in the words of Dr. Jordan Peterson, who encourages personal responsibility and meaning. Her favorite quote, “Compare yourself to who you were yesterday by making the effort to know thyself daily,” embodies the spirit of continuous growth and self-awareness. Joyce reminds us: “This means having the endowment of self-awareness, consciousness, imaginative ability, and the practice of independent will.” Her perseverance and unwavering belief in the power of community, allows her to face challenges with an optimistic and resilient perspective and approach to life.
TotalEnergies remains committed to supporting Joyce and her remarkable achievements, standing in solidarity with many worldwide to celebrate International Women’s Day and highlight this year’s theme of “Give to Gain.”
TotalEnergies EP PNG Limited (TotalEnergies), as the operator of the Papua LNG Project, is dedicated to supporting the local communities hosting its operations. In that frame, and recognising the importance of health-access initiatives in the Gulf Province, TotalEnergies, in partnership with Kapuna Rural Hospital, managed by the Gulf Christian Services Agency (GCSA), has sponsored the build of a new male dormitory for students at the Kapuna Community Health Worker Training School. It is to be noted that Kapuna Rural Hospital was formally recognised with a Level 4 Certificate of Accreditation by the National Department of Health (NDOH), in November 2024.
Thus, the expansion of student accommodation capacity at Kapuna Hospital will significantly improve local participation in training delivered by the hospital, while elevating both the learning and living conditions for the 130 community health workers currently studying at the training school. The improvement aligns with the NDOH’s National Health Plan goal, to increase the number of health workers to deliver basic health services for rural and remote communities, especially those appointed to provide services at Provincial Aid Posts.
Wednesday 14th January, marked an important milestone with the official inauguration of the Dormitory building at the Kapuna Community Health Worker Training School, managed by GCSA. The event was attended by representatives from GCSA, including CEO Lindsay Alesana, Health Manager Paul Bubura, Training School Senior Board Member Kaivila Omae, Principal Sr Lucy Gawai and Senior Carpenter Bradley Parapi.
Representatives from TotalEnergies EP PNG included HSSE Director Claire Viaud, National Content Manager Mary-Anne Reen, and Gulf Chrisitan Services Agency Interface Coordinator, Joyce Melepia. These distinguished guests were present to witness and officiate the ceremony.
This initiative was implemented in response to a request for support from the school’s Principal, Sr Lucy Gawai, and demonstrates TotalEnergies’ commitment to enhancing the well-being of both students and staff, as well as promoting sustainable development within the region.
The Eighth Papua LNG Independent Advisory Panel (IAP) was held from 7 – 11 October in Port Moresby with a three day visit on site. Three IAP panelists (Pete Lowry, Nicholas Garnier and Vojtech Novotney) were on the site trip. Dr Orovue Sepoe, fourth IAP panelist, participated in the two day plenary sessions in Port Moresby. Three villages were visited by the IAP, Evara and Kaevaria on 8 October and Mapaio during a classroom inauguration on 9 October.
A visiting delegation from the TotalEnergies Head office in Paris (Romaric Roignan, Elizabeth Pion and Claude Henri Chaineau) had the opportunity to meet the panelists and travelled to site at same time as the IAP mission.
A Glimps in Pictures
Here are some pictures taken during the session
Based on the discussions held during the IAP meeting, the following key recommendations were formulated and presented after the session:
Recommendations Panel #8
IAP 8 RECOMMENDATION
TotalEnergies RESPONSE
1/ Project delay resulting from postponement of the FID
The IAP identified the delay in proceeding with implementing the Papua LNG Project due to postponement of the Final Investment Decision (FID) as a matter of concern. During the discussions held between members of three Purari villages and three IAP members during their site visit, it became clear the delay is provoking anxiety among concerned populations that TotalEnergies needs to address urgently.
TotalEnergies acknowledges that the postponement of the Final Investment Decision (FID) may be of concern to the neighboring communities of the Project. In that frame, detailed explanations have been provided to the Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) for proper dissemination.
In addition, two Lida Kibung (local leadership forums) have been organized on the 6th and the 7th of March respectively in Kerema and Poroi 2, gathering several hundred people in total, to explain why the Project has suffered from some delays, provide a way forward and answer the questions from the attendees. Both meetings were chaired by the Managing Director of the affiliate himself, to give more weight to the messages delivered. In addition, the quarterly Gulf Provincial Working Group meeting was chaired by the Managing Director on the 5th of march at Kerema, to express the points discussed above.
Those public meetings were very well-received by the communities, and the Operator is now in the opinion, based on regular and ongoing engagements, that the communities are understanding the situation.
2/ Communication, dialogue, and support of Purari villages
Drawing on information gathered by the IAP during discussions with villagers and Papua LNG staff, we were left with the impression that communication is inconsistent. Specifically, we detected a disconnect between, on the one hand, the information delivered by Papua LNG to the communities and the ways in which it is being given to them, and on the other hand, the messages that are actually being received and taken on board by the villagers. It is essential that exchanges with local community members be conducted in a manner to which they can easily relate, using language they are comfortable with and a cultural framework with which they are familiar. Papua LNG has made a significant investment in many projects on various scales, for which villagers appear to be grateful. We noted, however, that the villagers have conveyed numerous requests to Papua LNG, many if not most of which are modest and reasonable in the context of expectations from large extractive projects in PNG, largely without any clear feedback or response, which is a cause of significant frustration and confusion. This has prompted the IAP to wonder how the decisions made by TotalEnergies to implement specific actions and interventions in support of the communities actually align with 1) the project’s overall vision and goals regarding community engagement and 2) the needs, wishes, and expectations of the communities themselves. In an effort to address these issues, the IAP recommends that TotalEnergies: 1. Draft an articulated vision for the project to prioritize its social engagement (see recommendation 5 below); 2. Establish an inventory of all village requests, recording the author(s) of each request, the village from which it came, and the date. The inventory should be organized village by villages and by sector of activities (education, health, agriculture, governance…). 3. Design a charter (probably to be implemented following the FID) that states the engagement of TotalEnergies vis-à-vis each of the concerned villages.
TotalEnergies ’s approach to investment and community activities has been supported by independent studies establishing baseline assessments of workforce, economy, health, education and environmental needs of the Project Area communities. From this background data, strategies to address immediate needs have been articulated and captured for implementation within a comprehensive Environment and Social Management System (ESMS). This system establishes management plans and procedures that provide a strategic approach to our capacity-building community-based initiatives.
In that frame, Papua LNG Project has adopted a grassroots consultative approach to share all information about the project, training and employment opportunities, local business development and social investment activities with all community groups (clans, churches, ward representatives), including vulnerable cohorts (youth, women, people with disability).
A network of Village Liaison Officers (VLO) and Community Liaison Officers (CLO), from Orokolo Bay to Wabo have been employed to assist our technical experts explaining in plain terms and concepts, the various components of the Project, whilst also listening and gathering enquiries and expectations expressed by communities. To ease dialogue, VLOs and CLOs work in duo with representatives of both genders. In Parallel, Affiliate’s senior management regularly visit the communities, providing explanations on dedicated aspect of the Project, including optimization strategies and design changes.
TotalEnergies takes note of the disconnect in communication, as described by the Panel. As a mitigation, the affiliate will:
– Reinforce its multi-channel communication approach, continue using the local language of the community, reinforcing its communication on several support channels (CLO, VLO, Lida Kibung, leaflet, Gulf Provincial Working Group meetings, FPIC)
– To reinforce the clarity and culturally adapted talking points which are provided to the CLOs for the benefit of the communities. They are now validated at Management level on a monthly basis. – Engage the Managing Director twice a year to deliver in-person information and clarification during Lida Kibung and Gulf Provincial Working Group meetings.
Prior to FID, the interventions of TotalEnergies in support of the communities have been dictated by the immediate basic needs identified by the Social Performance teams and third-party Social Baseline Assessments: – access to health, – access to education, – access to clean water and sanitation, – access to energy, communications and logistics.
In that frame, the Papua LNG Project has provided more than 50 community infrastructure buildings and completed a program of upgrade and maintenance of existing community infrastructure items, financed community health workers and teachers from the National Volunteer Service, enabled logistics and communications that support emergency health care response, supported the Kapuna Hospital’s service delivery and upgrade, encouraged and supported children’s attendance at school, amongst others.
It is clearly noted that, beyond this first phase, the Papua LNG Project will deploy a more comprehensive and structured approach to prioritize its social engagement. To that end, the Project has issued, within the ESMS, both a ‘Stakeholder Engagement Management Plan’ and a ‘Community Development Plan’, the latter describing the Social Baseline of the Project Area of Influence, the Project positions on community development issues, and the drivers for the selection of community development themes.
It is understood that such a plan must be periodically revised, considering the requests of the communities and their representative groups, which can vary over time. To achieve that aim, and since inception, all of our interactions with the communities, including their expression of needs, are recorded in a single database called Borealis, a tool shared by others within the Oil and Gas Sector. Based on the Panel’s recommendations, we proceed to review the Borealis inventory by sector of activity, to support the update of the Community Development Plan.
On a longer term and as recommended by the Panel, TotalEnergies will provide a pluriannual detailed plan of interventions village by village, meeting communities’ expectations vis-a-vis engagement and participatory development activities and provide a clear program of interventions.
3/ Categorization of support to Purari villages
During discussions with project staff, the IAP proposed a way to distinguish the types of support provided by TotalEnergies to Purari villages, and that could help clarify understanding among community members:
1. “Good will projects” that aim to demonstrate the project’s commitment to the villages. These investments can be understood as a form of acknowledgement, as a form of Melanesian reciprocal engagement. They do not need to be sustainable, and they can take multiple forms (school, training, any answer to a village request…).
2. “Sustainable projects” that aim to enable and facilitate communities and community members to increase their cash incomes and improve their livelihoods. Based on our discussions with Purari community members, small scale agriculture seems to offer interesting opportunities (for example, developing vanilla or cocoa production and marketing). We therefore recommend that TotalEnergies liaise with PNG experts in this domain (NARI, UNITECH) and establish a program of “sustainable projects” to benefit Purari villages. Vocational training was also identified as a possible sector for sustainable support, and we thus recommend that TotalEnergies identify vocational and technical schools that could offer assistance. Considering that most villagers do not have the academic level to be eligible for vocational and technical training in PNG, we suggest that TotalEnergies and its partners design and implement curriculums that are adapted to their needs and limitations, for implementation onsite.
TotalEnergies takes good note of the Panel’s recommendation.
“Good will projects” will be developed, focusing on spot engagement and on the basic needs of vulnerable populations as expressed by and within the communities (children, disabled people, women and the elderly). We envisage those good will initiatives that demonstrate reciprocity being an extension of the efforts we’ve undertaken in the past such as back to school kits donated to school children at the commencement of academic year, donation of school materials based on one-time needs, donation of fuel and food (kaikai) to facilitate community meetings, health access, or the dinghy donations made to community in 2024. We may extend this to sport and arts project once FID has been taken.
Even if the Final Investment Decision for Papua LNG Project is not taken yet, TotalEnergies has invested in vocational training for youth (since 2019) through MOUs with institutions and in coordination with the Gulf Provincial Government. TotalEnergies have invested 9.5 million Kina in vocational training in PNG. The training program that TotalEnergies is sponsoring addresses the apparent education gap and limited access to further education in Gulf Province, by facilitating the improvement of access to education in very remote locations such as Wabo Village. We have enabled Government school inspections infrastructure upgrades, teacher transport, teacher placement through sponsorship of NVS, delivery of school materials and other local initiatives, all. working with and enabling the Government’s capacity, for sustainable futures. The sustainable approach to Gulf Province education is for the Project not to design education curriculum which is already under renewal, thanks to existing partnerships in PNG Government with DFAT, World Bank and others institutions, but to facilitate school infrastructure, school inspections, delivery of resources, enabling teacher attendance, and supporting parents to encourage education in their communities.
Once Final Investment Decision (FID) is taken, the Social Performance Team will liaise with local specialists to develop and implement small-scale agriculture, fisheries, and other community owned and operated initiatives adapted to the local communities along the Purari River. via independent baseline assessments, and per the IFC’s “Strategic Community Investment” good practice guidelines, reinforce the need for a sustainable approach to development in emerging market settings.
Moreover, The Project has initiated its National Content Plan (NCP) and submitted to PNG Government in September 2023. The NCP has based its strategy under three thematic Pillars: Workforce Development (WFD), Business Development (BD) and Strategic Social Investment (SI).
Please note recommendation #4 is currently being re-formulated by the IAP and will be shared once completed.
Please note recommendation #4 is currently being re-formulated by the IAP and will be shared once completed.
5/ Project vision
In a previous recommendation (3-P.2), the IAP suggested that the project needs to develop long term vision that clearly describes and articulates the goals, objectives, and required/desired outcomes of the project (a vision of what ‘success’ would look like following closure), which would be invaluable for understanding and communicating about the importance of investing in a robust environmental and social program. The need for a clear project vision and associated goals and objectives remains just as evident 18 months later. The IAP continues to regard the lack of a clearly articulated vision as a significant handicap, for several reasons, including 1) for ensuring that planning and implementation are truly aligned with project needs and that available resources (human and financial) are used optimally, and 2) for providing project staff with a clear and understandable framework so they can see the purpose of their work and link their activities to planned outcomes.
As stated in the answer to the recommendation 8.2, the Project has issued a ‘Community Development Plan’, describing the Social Baseline of the Project Area of Influence, the Project positions on community development issues, and the drivers for the selection of community development themes. This plan defines the long-term strategy the Project intends to implement for the sake of the communities.
Once FID is taken, our team management will be tasked with resource development and adaptation to project needs for support services to EPC Contractors. In this regard we take a calculated, phased approach to ensure sufficient coverage of work packages occurs and in line with workforce mobilization of the contractors who are engaged to build the project. There is a significant amount of planning and design to ensure workstreams are resourced appropriately and subject matter experts are aligned within their field of experience.
Meanwhile, TotalEnergies welcome with interest the recommendation of having a larger review of what a successful project looks like following closure. A dedicated session including TotalEnergies experts in environment and societal, panelists, affiliate and/or any appropriate consultant will be scheduled shortly to collectively discuss and mature the answer to this question.
6/ Flora program
During the site visit, the IAP toured the nursery and greenhouse facilities recently established at Herd Base, where they were provided with an overview of the plant recovery work that is being done and the various species that have been brought into cultivation. Project staff explained that this work is primarily focusing on bringing a limited number of individuals of ‘sensitive species’ into cultivation, including species identified as Critically Endangered (CR) and Endangered (EN) in the baseline study conducted for the project impact assessment, i.e., those that are Critical Habitat (CH) triggers under IFC Performance Standard 6 (PS6), as well as those that are of particular importance to local communities and those potentially new to science. This program will play an essential role in managing and mitigating the project’s impacts on plant species, and the current activities represent a valuable set of initial trials. However, the IAP identified several issues that will need to be addressed moving forward, including the following:
1. The current list of ‘sensitive species’ is clearly not sufficient for ensuring that the project will be able to meet its obligations under PS6. Having been based on the initial, project-wide general flora inventory, it provides only partial knowledge of the flora of the areas that will be impacted by the project and contains many incompletely identified taxa. Moreover, it is based only on published IUCN Red List assessments, a significant portion of which are out of date, and does not consider the risk of extinction of the majority of species for which published assessments are not available, some of which are almost certain to represent CH triggers. The current list of ‘sensitive species’ thus contains some whose threat status is in fact not CR or EN, but omits others whose status does correspond to these levels of threat and therefore require management and mitigation.
2. The plant recovery and nursery activities do not appear to be explicitly directed toward and guided by a broader vision of ‘project success’ with respect to plant species, associated with outcomes to ensure compliance with the project’s obligations and commitments. This leads to several important question, including the following:
a) Is the list of ‘sensitive species’ adequate (i.e., sufficiently complete and accurate) to ensure PS6 compliance, and if not, how can this situation be remedied?
b) What role does the recovery and cultivation work play with respect to the project’s overall restoration program and meeting its restoration obligations as part of the mitigation hierarchy? How will this work be scaled up to deliver the massive amount of material that will be needed for field-based restoration trials and ultimately for implementing restoration at the project level? And what role do ‘sensitive species’ play in the restoration program?
c) How does the recovery and cultivation work relate and contribute to the development and implementation of individual action plans for each of the project’s ‘sensitive species’ to ensure net gain, as required by PS6. Addressing these issues and several related matters (not enumerated here) will be essential in order to ensure that the project is on course to meet its obligations and commitments. TotalEnergies may wish to consider seeking outside advice and guidance to review the current situation and help develop a fully integrated plan that draws from experience gained in other projects operating in biodiversity-rich areas and incorporates best practice.
The IUCN Red List is a worldwide accepted and adopted standard. However, TotalEnergies and its specialist Biodiversity consultants acknowledge its potential limitations in the current context and are taking steps to ensure that CH-triggering species (including restricted range and those that are potentially new to science) are included, with specific mitigation measures to be developed.
Therefore, a list of sensitive species known or considered likely to occur in the Project Upstream Area is maintained in the Project’s Priority Species Register (PSR). This is a live document maintained by species specialists engaged by the Project. It has been regularly updated based on:
– information from the IUCN Red List (including recent Red List updates)
– numerous Project-commissioned biodiversity studies, most of which have been undertaken since the ESIA baseline surveys (including 13 Pre-Clearance Surveys (PCSs))
– unpublished findings from other surveys conducted for other projects in neighbouring catchments
– ongoing taxonomic studies into several dozen scientifically undescribed species, many of which are local endemics known only from the Purari and Era River basins
– results of Critical and Natural Habitat Assessments (CNHAs
– terrestrial, marine and freshwater, separately assessed), themselves live documents that are updated with additional findings from ongoing surveys as to the local occurrence, status and distribution of priority species.
We believe that the current list of priority species, as described above, provides an adequate basis for activities ensuring PS6 compliance. Moreover, the list is conservatively inclusive as PS6 requires that net gains are demonstrated only for those CHq features for which a ‘significant’ Project impact is predicted. Both the original ESIA and a recent EIS Addendum have concluded that the significance of residual impacts to most priority plant species will be minimal or low, based on the Project’s small overall footprint in most areas (due to its largely linear nature) and particularly in relation to the large and continuous expanse of similar surrounding forest habitat. However, the Project maintains a full list of priority species regardless of the degree of predicted impact.
Among the priority plant species currently listed in the PSR, there is a further hierarchy of conservation significance that informs current/immediate Project actions. This hierarchy is based largely on the number of populations and individuals found during recent PCSs. Those species that are considered to have the highest sensitivity are of greatest current focus for the plant nursery located at Herd Base, to collect from the field and explore propagation methods and demonstrate propagation success prior to clearing for construction. This is an ongoing process, and in future the nursery will propagate a wider variety of plant species, and in greater numbers, so that they can be included in rehabilitation works as required.
The overall restoration program is being developed as part of the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Action Plan. Recovery and cultivation work in these initial stages allows for knowledge to be gathered on the propagation success for various sensitive species but it is not necessarily intended to be a pilot for large-scale plant propagation. Much of the restoration work along pipelines and other areas will rely on passive reinstatement, whereby good erosion and sediment control practices (spelled out in detailed site-specific erosion and sediment control plans) will ensure stable landforms are left behind, which in turn allows for natural regeneration. This natural regeneration will be supplemented by re-planting as many individuals as possible from the priority species list.
Given the vast number of plant species being identified, it is not feasible or useful to have an individual action plan for each. However, they could be grouped according to their habitat, ecological requirements and or suitability for certain rehabilitation scenarios. This is something that will need to be further analyzed, however one plant group already identified is Orchids. TotalEnergies has put in place an MoU with the Port Moresby Nature Park, which plans to expand its Orchid facility. TotalEnergies considers this as a potential avenue for additional collaboration and capacity-building. A Management Procedure specific to orchids is currently being developed and will be communicated to Contractors for them to pay specific attention and collect them during the construction phase.
Finally, it is worthwhile noting that most of the Project’s net biodiversity gain will likely be achieved through the establishment of protected areas. Monitoring will be undertaken to ensure that relevant priority plant species are present in these areas, and to monitor their population change.
7/ Risk-based approach
The Panel recommends that TotalEnergies consider using a risk-based approach for matters relating to the environment in order to ensure that programs and activities are on track to deliver full compliance with all project obligations and commitments. Experience from other projects in the extractive sector has shown this to be an effective basis for strategic planning, identifying needs and issues, prioritizing actions and investments, and monitoring progress and outcomes.
TotalEnergies usually applies a risk-based approach in all aspects of its operations.
At Headquarter level, an Environmental Risk Assessment Simplified Methodology (ERASM); and Preliminary Environmental & Social Screening have been developed.
At Project level, a Social and Environmental (Hazard and Risk) Identification (SENVID) is in force. Similar to a HAZID that is commonly used in industry for identifying safety risks/hazards, the SENVID process identifies Environmental and Social risks/hazards associated with the Project as a whole. This process involves various stakeholders and subject matter experts including design engineers so that detailed assessment of risks and appropriate mitigations can be workshopped.
An Engineering risk assessment is completed in the design phase which considers risk to safety, environmental and people, leading to a Detailed Risk Assessment (DRA), a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA), an Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) and a Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP).
An ALARP/Risk Reduction Workshop is also carried out to review all the risk assessments undertaken for the project including DRA, QRA, ERA, HAZOP, LOPA and other studies, and to confirm that the design decisions taken have resulted in a design that is “As Low As Reasonably Practicable” (ALARP)
At affiliate level, TotalEnergies, together with our Environmental and Social consultants, has also developed an “Alternatives Analysis” Matrix/Tool that can help to assess the relative E&S risks of various project aspects or activities. It includes ~35 specific topics classified under key categories of · Physical Constraints · Executability/Technical Feasibility · Health, Safety & Security · Environmental Sensitivity; and · Social Sensitivity
TotalEnergies takes good note of the recommendation from the IAP and is ready to capitalize on any other extractive project experiences that the country has faced in the past for better improvement
8/ IAP Terms of Reference
Members of the IAP invite TotalEnergies to review the Panel’s current Charter and to consider how it might appropriately be updated to ensure full alignment with the role currently being played by the Panel and reflect more accurately the company’s ambition for the project.
TotalEnergies takes good note of the recommendation from the IAP. An amendment to the Charter has been shared during IAP#9 and the Operator is working on a finalized version to better encapsulate the role of the Panel, which will be submitted to the IAP#10
Walking three days and three nights in the bushy jungles of Gulf Province, in pursuit of an education, Kingsley Philip from Ipiayu village in Rural Kaintiba, was determined to go to school.
“My village is quite a distance away from any major town. Even those students who pass out from high school or college, find it hard to get school fees to pursue further studies. We rely on the good will of the churches and charities to contribute towards our school fees,” he says.
“So, when I heard that TotalEnergies were sponsoring students, I applied to Port Moresby Technical School (POM Tech) and enquired about scholarships. I knew that I couldn’t ask my parents or the church for tuition support, I had to be the one to find my own way,” he adds.
Born and raised in the village, he has only ever left to go to school. First in Morobe province to complete his High School and Secondary schooling and now as a student at POM Tech studying Mechanical, Fitting, Machining (MFM).
“My village is in the bush, surrounded by forest so it’s difficult or takes time to get anywhere. Often times, we’ve had people die while making their way down to town during storms, or when the weather gets really bad,” he shares.
“Parents often face difficulties transporting their garden food to the market to sell, for their children’s school fees. In the past, during heavy rains, parents have lost their lives while crossing through the bush with their garden food to sell, from the falling trees,” he adds.
One of two boys in a family of eight, he attended Kaintiba Primary School, then completed his secondary schooling at Menyamya Secondary School, with dreams of one day being a primary school teacher for his community.
“There aren’t a lot of teachers in my community and I noticed that not a lot of teachers want to travel to these remote areas to teach, which is why I wanted to be able to fill that gap especially for primary school students,” he said.
“I applied and was accepted to a teacher’s college at Rabaul but on my way there, I was robbed of my school fees and leaver’s certificate at Eriku town, Lae. The thieves stole around K6,000 raised by my parents and the church for my schooling,” he explains.
He had no choice but to return back to Kaintiba. After saving up enough for the PMV from Kerema town to Port Moresby, he walked for three days from his village adamant on getting his leaver’s certificate re-printed at the Department of Education.
“When I got my new certificate, I returned to the village and applied for a space at POM Tech in 2023, after hearing that TotalEnergies were sponsoring children from Gulf,” he says.
“It took me three days and three nights, to walk down to Kerema town from my village and then I caught the PMV and went to POM Tech. I was told, enrolment was complete but the boys from Gulf re-directed me to the TotalEnergies office downtown, so I walked there from POM Tech,” he added.
He met with TotalEnergies Workforce Development Coordinator Peter Konaka and explained his story and how he came to be there.
“I empathised with him after listening to his story and saw how determined he was to secure post-secondary education despite the odds presented. I negotiated with the school to accept him in place of a student who had left earlier,” says Peter.
“I feel like this opportunity has been completely life changing for me. I am glad to have joined this scholarship program because I know that if I had stayed back in the village, I would not have this chance,” says Kingsley.
“I wouldn’t be in school or have learnt the trade skills I am learning now, so I want to say thank you to TotalEnergies for putting me through school and for opportunity you have given me. I am extremely grateful and want to say thank you,” he added with a smile.
TotalEnergies Workforce Development Coordinator Peter Konaka and Kingsley Philip
Walking three days and three nights in the bushy jungles of Gulf Province, in pursuit of an education, Kingsley Philip from Ipiayu village in Rural Kaintiba, was determined to go to school.
“My village is quite a distance away from any major town. Even those students who pass out from high school or college, find it hard to get school fees to pursue further studies. We rely on the good will of the churches and charities to contribute towards our school fees,” he says.
“So, when I heard that TotalEnergies were sponsoring students, I applied to Port Moresby Technical School (POM Tech) and enquired about scholarships. I knew that I couldn’t ask my parents or the church for tuition support, I had to be the one to find my own way,” he adds.
Born and raised in the village, he has only ever left to go to school. First in Morobe province to complete his High School and Secondary schooling and now as a student at POM Tech studying Mechanical, Fitting, Machining (MFM).
“My village is in the bush, surrounded by forest so it’s difficult or takes time to get anywhere. Often times, we’ve had people die while making their way down to town during storms, or when the weather gets really bad,” he shares.
“Parents often face difficulties transporting their garden food to the market to sell, for their children’s school fees. In the past, during heavy rains, parents have lost their lives while crossing through the bush with their garden food to sell, from the falling trees,” he adds.
One of two boys in a family of eight, he attended Kaintiba Primary School, then completed his secondary schooling at Menyamya Secondary School, with dreams of one day being a primary school teacher for his community.
“There aren’t a lot of teachers in my community and I noticed that not a lot of teachers want to travel to these remote areas to teach, which is why I wanted to be able to fill that gap especially for primary school students,” he said.
“I applied and was accepted to a teacher’s college at Rabaul but on my way there, I was robbed of my school fees and leaver’s certificate at Eriku town, Lae. The thieves stole around K6,000 raised by my parents and the church for my schooling,” he explains.
He had no choice but to return back to Kaintiba. After saving up enough for the PMV from Kerema town to Port Moresby, he walked for three days from his village adamant on getting his leaver’s certificate re-printed at the Department of Education.
“When I got my new certificate, I returned to the village and applied for a space at POM Tech in 2023, after hearing that TotalEnergies were sponsoring children from Gulf,” he says.
“It took me three days and three nights, to walk down to Kerema town from my village and then I caught the PMV and went to POM Tech. I was told, enrolment was complete but the boys from Gulf re-directed me to the TotalEnergies office downtown, so I walked there from POM Tech,” he added.
He met with TotalEnergies Workforce Development Coordinator Peter Konaka and explained his story and how he came to be there.
“I empathised with him after listening to his story and saw how determined he was to secure post-secondary education despite the odds presented. I negotiated with the school to accept him in place of a student who had left earlier,” says Peter.
“I feel like this opportunity has been completely life changing for me. I am glad to have joined this scholarship program because I know that if I had stayed back in the village, I would not have this chance,” says Kingsley.
“I wouldn’t be in school or have learnt the trade skills I am learning now, so I want to say thank you to TotalEnergies for putting me through school and for opportunity you have given me. I am extremely grateful and want to say thank you,” he added with a smile.
Along with the rest of his batch, he will be graduating next March, hopeful to apply his skills, on one of the resource projects, still with dreams of teaching back in his village.
TotalEnergies EP PNG Limited (TotalEnergies), as Operator of the Papua LNG project have to date, sponsored a total of 271 students at Port Moresby Technical School (POM Tech), 60 of whom have been female, through the Papua LNG TVET Scholarship Program and Kingsley is part of the current cohort of National Certificate (NC)3 scholarship recipients.
Motivated by family and set to graduate with a National Certificate (NC)2 in Maintenance, Fitting and Machining (MFM) at Don Bosco Technical School (DBTS) in November, it is the hope of 24-year-old Ronnie Lavai to one day be a certified engineer.
“I have a son of my own, an eight month old baby. He is the main reason why I’m here, I mean my mum was first, but now I do it for both of them,” he says smiling.
With roots from West Kerema, Ihu LLG, Gulf Province, Ronnie was born and raised in Port Moresby and is the second last of six brothers and sisters.
“My dad is a teacher and the principal at Kaugere Junior High School while my mum is the primary caregiver, looking after the whole family at home,” he says.
After matriculating at Kila Kila Secondary School in 2021, he was accepted to study at the PNG University of Technology but due to school fees, could not attend.
“I played basketball for two years and I even represented the country twice, in 2021 and 2022, with the Flames Basketball club,” he shares.
“I originally didn’t have any interest in playing basketball but was encouraged by the people around me and then when I started playing, everything just sorted of clicked into place. I was even thinking this (basketball), might be the answer for me,” he said.
Life it seems, had other plans for him as in 2023, he decided to do a short course on basic computing at the DBTS Gabutu campus, igniting in him a passion for computing.
“I did well so I decided to stay on. I thought I would be taking computing but because they had no computing classes, they offered their trade courses and that’s how I chose MFM, since MFM deals with metals and machining,” he explains.
Ronnie is one of 80 students from the current cohort of NC2 students at DBTS under the Papua LNG TVET Scholarship program, to be sponsored by TotalEnergies EP PNG Limited (TotalEnergies), operator of the Papua LNG project.
“It’s a big help for me and my family because my dad is the sole breadwinner, providing for the family. Since the scholarship came in, it has really helped my dad a lot,” he says.
“I have really learnt a lot. I knew when I was in Grade 12 at Kila Kila Secondary school, that I wanted to be an engineer. That hasn’t changed and I haven’t thought about doing anything else, I just know I want to build, fix and repair things,” he notes letting out a small laugh.
“My brothers are doing their own thing. I’m the only one in my family, out of us boys in school, so my dad has a lot of expectations of me,” he added.
Having maintained his academic performance, the Project has continued support to him throughout his second and final year of studies. He was initially identified as applicable for the Papua LNG scholarship program when he was applying for a trade course and it had been made known that he was from Gulf.
“After I graduate, hopefully I get a job and maybe work for a while – two or three years. Just to gain the experience and after that I can apply for tradesman certificates because nowadays, those certificates are the most in demand in the technical world,” he says.
“I want to be able to provide for my family and my son. I’m sure others who are fathers and young men have the same dream,” he adds happily.
L-R: TotalEnergies Director for Business, Renewables and Carbon Neutrality Abdul Malik and PNG Ports CEO Neil Papenfus cutting the ribbon to unveil the sign declaring the area a protected mangrove habitat.
TotalEnergies EP PNG Limited (TotalEnergies) as operator of the Papua LNG Project, is fully committed to delivering an exemplary Papua LNG Project, with a strong focus on sustainability, enhancing biodiversity and encouraging low carbon emission solutions.
In partnership with Motukea International Limited (MTIL) and PNG Ports Cooperation Limited (PNGCPL), a Tri-Party Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2024, to plant and rehabilitate mangroves along the coast of Fairfax Harbour.
Today, Wednesday March 26, 2025, marks the second phase of mangrove planting within the Motukea Mangrove Conservation and Rehabilitation area.
A total of five hundred (500) mangrove seedlings, comprising three different species of mangroves, all cultivated at the Papua LNG Koke Hanua Mangrove Nursery in Boera Village, Central Province, were planted.
This second phase of planting in addition to last year’s initial planting brings a total of more than 1,000 mangrove seedlings planted at the Motukea site. Monitoring of phase 1 planting results are showing promising early survival of the seedlings.
The planting event also coincided with the unveiling of the Motukea Mangrove Conservation and Rehabilitation Project signboard which serves as a strong message to restore and safeguard through preservation the mangrove habitat within Motukea and along Fairfax Harbor.
TotalEnergies, as operator, continues its support to the partners with the supply of mangrove seedlings and technical support to further expand environmental and sustainable initiatives that will benefit all people and communities living within and depending upon coastal resources.
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