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A second homecoming for Senior Professional Thomas Kevaro within the extractive industry

June 11, 2024 – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

With well over 27+ years in the extractive resource sector, working with TotalEnergies EP PNG Limited, has been like a second homecoming, for Development Forum Coordinator Thomas Kevaro. “I worked with InterOil during the exploration days as one of four Community Affairs managers and now I’m back again with TotalEnergies to help contribute to the development of the second LNG project in Papua LNG project,” he said.

Hailing from Kukipi in East Kerema and Ovahuhu village in Ihu, Gulf province, Thomas is a community leader, a Chief (Pukari) in his Toaripi tribal village and even runs a non-profit group helping disadvantaged and marginalised people in his spare time. Completing his secondary education at Passam National High School, he attended the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) from 1985 to 1988, majoring in Physical Geography and Minoring in Anthropology & Archaeology. He obtained a Post Graduate Diploma in Education from UPNG in 1993 and a further Post Graduate certificate in Community Relations from the University of Queensland in 2009 and began his career as a teacher, spending six years at various national high schools, after graduating from the university of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) in 1989.

His journey within the extractive industry thus far

Inspired by his visit to his first resource project Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) in 1988, he describes that experience as the catalyst which launched his elusive career in the Mining and Oil and Gas industry.

TotalEnergies EP PNG Limited Public Affairs Team L-R: Richard Kassman, Thomas Kevaro, Ian Marru and Hosea James

The father and grandfather of four, has spent four years at OK Tedi,12 and a half with Lihir, seven years with InterOil (on the Elk Antelope Project), a few months with ExxonMobil and presently, with TotalEnergies, he says the real joy comes from experiencing the everyday moments. “After you spend a while within the industry, you learn to appreciate work life and for me, it’s not the benefits; it’s getting to witness the project develop from infancy to a fully mature project,” he shares.

“To see tracks being constructed into roads from nothing to an oil pad, gives you a sense of ownership. All my former Community Affairs and Lands colleagues, we undertook seismic exploration all over the place – we know that area like the back of our hands,” he added proudly.
After he left OK Tedi in 1998, he joined the Environment & Community Affairs team at Lihir Gold Mine, now Newcrest Mining Limited and remained there for the next 12 and a half years until he made the move to go back home in 2011 to join InterOil.

“All my kids went to Lihir International Primary School on the island, my spouse was one of the pioneering teachers of Lihir Secondary school in 2000. It was a very good environment, beautiful place, conducive for families,” he shared proudly.

Although he was only one of a few national superintendents at that time, he is grateful for his time at InterOil as a Community Affairs manager, because it was his launchpad into the Oil and Gas sector and he was able to go home.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to contribute what I can as a senior Papua New Guinean and as a native of Gulf Province, given my experience and knowledge in the resource extractive industry,” he adds.

“I give my sincere respect to those who have passed on – late Gerson Amen, late Morris Peremai, late Leo Pera, late Kila Tore, late Gina Viritoga, late (retired) former PNGDF Brigadier-General Anthony Huai in the field of Community Affairs,” he said.

His roles with TotalEnergies in the past two years have been in Land Access and Development Forum for the Papua LNG project. He has enjoyed the roles and looks forward to giving more to the Project in the years to come.

“PNG is blessed with a lot of resources. Most of these resources are based in remote areas, nowhere near towns, so there needs to be opportunities for people, in less developed areas where resource projects occur, to enable them to have access to goods and services,” he says.

“Papua New Guineans must benefit from such projects during exploration through to production, operation and finally de-commissioning. However, at the same time, we must acknowledge that, these Projects come with both ‘the good and the bad’”, he affirms.

He credits the bulk of his success to his most supportive and beautiful wife of many years Philomena Hirigien Kevaro (nee Maru) from Yangoru East Sepik Province, who has been his greatest soulmate, throughout his professional career.

“She loves her teaching job and has been in the classroom for the last 36+ years, educating thousands of young Papua New Guineans across the length and breadth of this beautiful country,” he says proudly.

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Celestine Marion Kabilu

Komuniti Toksave 10

May 2024

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Deployment of Water Tanks and Radios along the area of influence of the Papua LNG project

February 8, 2024 – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

The Papua LNG project values building strong relationships with communities. It aims to positively impact the lives of the villages within the Project area, whether through enhancing communication or investing in infrastructure and support.

Centre left Kaevaria Village Chief Aisi Makani shaking hands with TotalEnergies PNG Civil Society
and NGO Manager Thierry Rosaz surrounded by Papua LNG project staff and Kaevaria villagers

In line with Sustainable Development Goal 6 and International Finance Corporation Performance Standards 4, the Project strives to ensure communities within its Area of Influence, have access to safe, clean drinking water, lessening the risks of dysentery, malaria and other waterborne diseases.

It is in this context that Papua LNG have provided three 3,500 litres water tanks to Kaevaria Village, in Kikori District, Gulf Province. In addition, the village has been equipped with a community radio system, powered by solar panels, and fitted with in-built USB ports for charging devices.

The inauguration took place on February 8, 2024. In appreciation, the villagers in Kaevaria staged a play showcasing the importance of water in their village and Chief Makani Aisi thanked Papua LNG staff present for the donation.

Ongoing consultations between the Project’s Community Development, Community Relations team and the Village Liaison Officers (VLOs) teams, have highlighted the need to increase and improve lines of communication between the Project and the community and the radio shall facilitate this.

Village Liaison Officer for Kaevaria village Willie Keke, said that the radio, complementing the recent installation of the 4G mobile network, is a much needed and welcome contribution to the village.

“There will be a lot of times that we will be communicating with the Project officers on site, and so the radios will make it easier for us to communicate the community activities and needs” he said.

Kaevaria village is the first of eight villages along the Barging route areas, to receive the water tanks and radio system. Deployment in other villages is currently ongoing.

**3,500 litres of water tanks inaugurated in the village of Kaevaria,**
**in the district of Kikori, Gulf Province.**

Community radio system, powered by solar panels, and fitted with in-built USB ports **inaugurated in the village of Kaevaria,**
**in the district of Kikori, Gulf Province.**

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Panel #6 – December 4-7, 2023

Overview

The 6th edition of the Independent Advisory Panel took place from 4 to 7 December, 2023 including 2 days of field trip and 2 days of plenary session.

Dr Ray Victurine, Dr Nicolas Garnier, Dr Vojtech Novotny, and for the first time, Dr Claude Garcia took part in the 2-day field trip as facilitator. It was an opportunity for them to visit Wabo and talk to representatives of the Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area. The following day, the participants visited the temporary nursery that will be established in 2023 as part of the Direct Offset Programme and took part in a walk to experience the rich biodiversity of the primary forest at the site of the future Central Processing Facility.

Dr Miriam Supuma, Dr Orovue Sepue and Cardinal Sir John Ribat joined the other panelists for the plenary session in Port Moresby to discuss the status of Papua LNG, the biodiversity offset strategy, community development, engagement with local NGOs, the Purari Flood Relief Mission conducted in November 2023 and IAP governance. Eventually 10 recommendations were formulated.

A glimpse 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 #6

BIODIVERSITY / CONSERVATION / ENVIRONMENT

6-B.1 Central Processing Facility (CPF) location

To explore whether the CPF could be established in an area of secondary forest that is available due to previous logging.

6-B.2 Decommissioning of access roads that will not be required during the Production Phase

Prior to decommissioning, to identify the roads that should be kept in working condition to support the local communities on social and economic grounds.

6-B.3 Environmental study related to the dredging of the river

To have access to environmental studies related to dredging to gain a better understanding of the potential impacts, especially on the fluvial ecosystem and the traffic on the river.

6-B.4 Support the Crater Mountain Wildlife Management Area (CMWMA)

To consider providing long-term economic support to the CMWMA to achieve biodiversity net gain.

SOCIETAL DEVELOPMENT

6-S.1 Community support in Wabo-Ura and in the wider Project Area of Influence (PAoI)

a) To achieve substantial and tangible projects in the villages in the domain of Education and Health.

b) To develop the sharing of TotalEnergies operational facilities (in term of transport and logistics) to bring drugs and educational material to remoted villages.

6-S.2 Ethnographic and social studies in the Project Area of Influence (PAoI)

To develop further ethnographic and social studies in the region.

6-S.3 Engaging with local communities

To investigate on the communication modus operandi and the way safety restrictions could impair the process of working together with local communities.

6-S.4 IAP field trip site visits

To visit a coastal village during the next IAP field trip.

PROJECT LARGO SENSU

6-P.1 Communication about “Carbon emission reduction” by Papua LNG

To soften the claim “Papua LNG is a project that will reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions” and present the Project as a possible way to reduce overall emissions through development of this transition energy source.

6-P.2 Lender Reports

a) To share the lender reports on biodiversity and social issues for review by the Panel.

b) To organize a meeting between the IAP and the lender audit team to discuss issues and share information.

A jill of all trades, perseverance finally pays off for Celestine

February 13, 2024 – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Quite the resourceful go-getter, Celestine Marion Kabilu, is a baker, a printer/closed circuit television & computer fixer, graphics designer, event decorator and has even represented Papua New Guinea for rugby union on an international scale.

She has managed to rack up an impressive resume of work experience and all before reaching the tender age of 25, proving that it truly is mind over matter.

Now an Information Systems and Telecommunications (IST) intern with TotalEnergies EP PNG limited, Celestine explains that when she had been unsuccessful in securing a full-time position in 2021, she was determined not to waste any opportunity that came her way.

Throughout the span of 2021, she served as a babysitter, an In-Plan Training Secretary at DBTI, a Printing Operation and Customer Service officer at Star Office Works and an IT officer with Food Pro PNG Limited.

Having completed two internships with Digitech in 2018 & NiuSky Pacific earlier in 2019, she managed to juggle school work and her receptionist position at Trends Beauty while attending Don Bosco Technical Institute (DBTI) in 2020.

“While I was working for those companies, I was also doing events decorations and IT free lancing. I have decorated weddings, birthdays, school graduation ceremonies, baby showers and was featured in City Pharmacy’s first ever baby Registration Promotion,” she said.

“When I didn’t have anything to do, I just did markets outside my house, selling buai, smoke, flex cards and can drinks – within a week I would make K900,” she added.

Born and raised in Port Moresby, from a mixed parentage of Bougainville, Gulf and Central Province, the 25-year-old is the last of six children and has lived most of her life in and around the city.

She attended St Therese’s Primary school in Badili, from Kindergarten through to grade 8, then attended Port Moresby Grammar School (Pom Grammar), graduating in 2016.

Originally dreaming of being a teacher, it was her IT teacher at Pom Grammar, a former DBTI student, who encouraged and inspired her to pursue a career in the field.

“I had the lowest grades in IT when I first started but when I saw that I was improving my IT skills, that’s when it hit me – I knew that I was an IT person,” she recalls.

Pom Grammar was also where her interest in Rugby union was piqued. Initially she joined the school rugby team, then moved over to Crusader Rugby Union club and Nova, and from there was selected to play with the Novettes, playing with them since.

“I am a committed rugby union player. I put in the time for training and am always there for the games and in 2022 I feel like that paid off when I was selected to join the Cassowaries to represent PNG in New Zealand and Australia,” she said.

Graduating from DBTI in 2020 with a diploma in Information, Communication & Technology (ICT), she had to defer her graduation the following year owing to her injuries sustained from rugby.

“So, when it was time for my final exams (in 2019), three days before the exam, I broke my leg during a rugby game and then I found out my appendix had burst,” she shares breaking into a laugh.

She is grateful for all her different jobs and the new skills that she picked up along the way such as how to bake pies while with Food Pro and how to fix food printing machines.

“It’s something outside my scope and I like to learn any trade that is given to me. When I was working with them (Food Pro), I learned how to bake, how to make pastries, how to pack pies and troubleshoot and configure pie machines and weighing scales,” she said.

**Celestine (top far left) with her Cassowary team mates**

“My experience here at TotalEnergies is completely different from all my previous experiences. Working as an intern is a blessing and a great opportunity, offering good exposure for me,” she added.

“Everything was new for me and I am fascinated by all the new things I am learning from my time here. I am proud of my team because of their hearty welcome and continuity of knowledge sharing,” she shares.

Handover of 7 Dinghies to the Gulf Provincial Police Command

February 7, 2024 – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

In support of the work of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) in Gulf Province to carry out their mandated duty to serve and protect, Papua LNG have donated seven 23-foot dinghies to the Gulf RPNGC.

L-R: Gulf PPC Jeffrey Lemb, Deputy Gulf Provincial Administrator James Hasu, Acting ACP Southern Region Joe Puri, TotalEnergies Herd Base Security Superintendent Jason Walker, TotalEnergies Civil Society & NGO Manager Thierry Rosaz & TotalEnergies Community Relations Manager James Leahy

Papua LNG believes in the importance of investing in Law and Order, as throughout close consultations with the local communities, often a break-down of law and order and the lack of transportation have been two of the key issues raised.

Papua LNG recognizes the significance of fostering the partnership between the Provincial Government and the local communities as well as the need to uphold community safety through the vital operations of police in and around the Project Area of Influence.

Two dinghies will be distributed to the police station in Kerema, two to the Baimuru Rural Police station, two to the Kikori Police station and one to the station in Wabo.

Additionally, each of the dinghies will be equipped with a 40HP engine, five lifejackets along with three drums of fuel to distribute amongst the seven boats.

Accepting the donation of the seven dinghies was Gulf Provincial Police Commander Jeffrey Lemb along with senior staff from TotalEnergies operator of the Project.

This follows the donation of the three dinghies to the Kerema Disaster Office, Ihu Local Level Government (LLG) and Baimuru LLG, last November, in recognition of the need for the Provincial and District Governments to enhance their social service delivery to the Waterway communities.

***L-R: Gulf PPC Jeffrey Lemb, Deputy Gulf Provincial Administrator James Hasu, Acting ACP Southern Region Joe Puri and TotalEnergies Herd Base Security Superintendent Jason Walker***

***4 of the 7 dinghies donated to RPNGC Gulf Command***

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Komuniti Toksave 9

January 2024

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Serve with your heart

January 29, 2024 – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

For Bartholomew Omae, a 27-year-old supplies, logistics and junior projects manager working at the remote Kapuna Hospital in Gulf Province, it’s all about service and giving back to the community.

“That keeps me content at the end of the day. I’ve come to love what I do now, which is weird because I never saw myself doing something like this” he says.

“I remember thinking how strange it was when I first met the (former) supplies & logistics Manager and Project Managers because of their workloads and now I’m doing the same thing” he says breaking out into a laugh.

The eldest of five siblings, Bartholomew is from Baimuru within Gulf, and was born and raised in Kapuna after his parents initially moved there to study and eventually settled there.

“I think I’ve only ever left for schooling purposes, which is why I strongly believe in the notion of giving back to community” he says.

The first local to get employed at Kapuna Hospital full-time, in a managerial role, he has pioneered a lot of firsts in his life and reflected on the challenges of the education system in his home province.

In his younger schooling years, he was part of the first batch of the Kapuna Life School and later was part of the first batch of students from Gulf to be sponsored by TotalEnergies EP PNG Ltd (TotalEnergies) to attend Port Moresby Technical School (POM Tech) in National Certificate trade courses.

At the time, they couldn’t make Kapuna Life School an official school since there were only five children but thanks to Barbara Calvert, we received uniforms and school materials which were shipped from New Zealand” he said.

“As a result of my primary education and being educated with a New Zealand curriculum, I’m more familiar with New Zealand culture and geography but my basic knowledge of Papua New Guinea’s geography is lacking” he added.

Importance of an education

Following a brief stint at Kikori Secondary and then Port Moresby Grammar School for high school, he moved across to Goroka Grammar in Eastern Highlands, to complete his grades 11 and 12 in 2015.

“It was a good boarding school, I was able to complete my grades 11 and 12 with a few of my good friends from Kapuna and then I got accepted into Pacific Adventist University (PAU), as an Australia Awards Scholarship recipient” he says of his time in Goroka.

He unfortunately had to withdraw 2 years into his Nursing degree at PAU, due to a combination of wrong choices influenced by bad company.

“After I pulled out from Nursing, I basically went into this negative place in my head where I believed I had failed, and I felt there was no hope. My family also gave up on me because they told me I had taken for granted what I had been given” he shares.

“When I was back at home, figuring out what to do, I happened to be in Kerema at the time the TotalEnergies’ Community Liaison Officers were conducting awareness and that’s how I heard about the scholarships being offered by TotalEnergies” he adds.

He was accepted into the Machining and Fitting course in 2019 at POM Tech, as part of the selected scholarship recipients and vowed to make the most of the opportunity.

“I really wasn’t into technical trades because I personally had this heart of service, so I couldn’t connect being a machinist with that of being in a life of service, but I thought I should just give it a try since it was a really good opportunity for me” he shared.

“I really wanted to be a nurse or a doctor, some day and really help people, I just had this heart to help and serve others” he added.

While at POM Tech, he involved himself with student groups like the Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship (TSCF), which led him down a better path and instilled within him strong leadership qualities and in 2020, he became the TSCF president for the school.

“I started taking up leadership roles, within that space, it really helped me in my spiritual walk, and I found good friends and started hanging out with them” he stated.

Graduating in 2021 with a National Certificate 3 in Maintenance Fitting and Machining, he stayed on at POM Tech as the TSCF coordinator, before the team at Kapuna asked him to return home with a job offer.

“When I went back to Kapuna, I thought I would just go and hang around in the workshop, but since I already had experience working in the office, I was recommended to work in the office” he says.

He credits his time volunteering as a youth at the hospital, helping the former Projects Manager, Mr Colin Calvert and all other mentors, for helping him to build his experience and obtain different training certificates, to eventually become the Supplier and Logistics Manager.

“I think that the most rewarding part of working at Kapuna is witnessing people’s lives change by the little projects we do and giving service to people. If we build a classroom, I love to see the parents happy that their kids are going to school” he proudly shares.

“One thing that I always remind myself is, say we build this classroom for this child, when they go to school and if they are happy there, then the parents will decide to stay and work in Kapuna, giving service back to the villagers and surrounding communities” he added.

He explained that the Project team at Kapuna, supports the hospital with building and general maintenance, Community Service outreach, hygiene, and sanitation projects along with managing the finances and supporting other teams with proposals.

“The Project entity is there to serve all other entities and that’s what we feel is very rewarding to us as a team, myself especially because I feel that I am able to serve people who will then go on to serve others as well” he says.

Bartholomew, Phoebe and a TotalEnergies CLO at Kapuna

Bartholomew observes that there are a lot of opportunities for young people from Gulf but what’s limiting them, and the province is that most villages do not have proper schools nor are there proper communications systems (networks).

“The people of Gulf province need to understand their place in their community but also to understand the level at which the province is at in terms of looking at it from a broader perspective” he said.

“For example, you could receive a scholarship to attend a tertiary institution like I did, but if your attitude is not right or your heart is not really in it, then you’re just wasting your time. You won’t be giving back to the community, the province – you’re basically living for yourself” he added.

“The best thing that happened to me while working is finding my wife. I think being together really helps us a lot in our jobs because we’re both busy together so we both understand how demanding our jobs can become” he said

“Dreams have changed since we got married – it’s now a collective dream. If it’s something to do with managing or helping other people, then we’re both up for it” he says speaking for himself and wife Phoebe.

“My best advice would be to live for others every day. Living for others means you must know what you are and know what you can contribute – know your potential and goals and live towards them but also love yourself whilst you’re doing this” he states.

Papua LNG Inaugural Supplier Forum

December 4, 2023 – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

On December 4th, 2023, TotalEnergies EP PNG (TEP PNG) Ltd, as operator of the Papua LNG project, launched its inaugural Supplier Forum.

Announced at the Forum was the Project’s first Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) contract awardee for the Upstream Early Works & Infrastructure Package, Vinci Construction Terrassement SpieCapag Niugini Limited (VCTSC).

**VCTSC Deputy Project Director Jean-Paul Chauvin at the Papua LNG Supplier Forum held in Port Moresby**

Along with the latest news of the Project, VCTSC Deputy Project Director Jean-Paul Chauvin, gave an in-depth presentation of the company, the expected scopes of work and the various business opportunities available for interested local suppliers.

In addition to this, representatives of VCTSC, TEP PNG and local job portal site WAN PNG were present to talk about the planning, strategy and platforms available for recruitment, during smaller panel sessions.

The forum was an opportunity for providing supply chain management organisations from the public and private sector an opportunity to meet and network, providing Papua New Guinean businesses with valuable insights and access to the Papua LNG project.

Similar to the Early Works Information Session held earlier in May in both Port Moresby and Lae, Papua New Guinean business houses received up-to-date information on the Papua LNG project, its procurement process, key packages and upcoming tenders in 2024 for the Project.

Attended by local suppliers, as well as the wider business community in PNG, the event was also streamed live online for those abroad who were not able to attend in person.

**Papua LNG Deputy Project Director Benoit Salin**

***The PNG business community gathered at the Hilton Hotel in Port Moresby***

Press Snippets

Loop – Dec 5, 2023

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MoU with the PNG University of Technology for a Tertiary Scholarship Program

November 29, 2023 – Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

TotalEnergies EP PNG Ltd (TEP PNG) as operator of the Papua LNG project, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNG Unitech).

The Unitech Scholarship program will be made available in 2024, to Third (3rd) year students from the disciplines of Electrical, Mechanical or Civil Engineering, Applied Physics, Communication for Development, Geographical Information Sciences or a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.

The first phase of the program will be open to 25 top performing students and will cover full tuition fees, return airfares, full board & lodging fees, book allowances and stipends.

Applicable to all Papua New Guineans, consideration shall be given to students from the Project areas in both Gulf and Central Province.

TotalEnergies EP PNG (TEP PNG) Managing Director Jean-Marc Noiray and PNG Unitech Vice Chancellor Professor Ora Renagi OL
holding the newly signed MoU

Part of Papua LNG’s National Content plan focuses on developing the skills and competencies of all Papua New Guineans, to enhance their employability for future projects as well as contribute to the wider PNG talent pool.

In line with one of three key pillars: Promoting the Employment and Training of Papua New Guinean citizens, the Project is committed to becoming a significant contributor to the country’s workforce development.

Building on its existing partnership with Unitech, earlier this August, Senior Executives from TotalEnergies including Project Management, paid a visit to the campus in Lae and were given a tour of the School of Engineering, even meeting with the different Department Heads.

In the spirit of nurturing this relationship, TEP PNG made a donation of six laptops, Cisco wireless controllers, routers, firewalls and two VoIP phones to the institution.

Managing Director of TEP PNG Jean-Marc Noiray, referred to the occasion today, as a milestone for both Unitech, as a beacon of higher education and for the Papua LNG project.