PNG's P'nyang Gas Project to Get Road Boost From Ok Tedi's K30 Million Pledge

 PNG's P'nyang Gas Project to Get Road Boost From Ok Tedi's K30 Million Pledge/Photo supplied

A K30 million commitment from Ok Tedi Mining Limited will help fund a new road connecting to the P'nyang Project, widely seen as Papua New Guinea's next significant gas development, the company has announced.

The funding will go toward the Sisimakam–P'nyang Road, a 32-kilometre route costing K150 million in total, with the bulk of financing coming through the Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme jointly arranged between ExxonMobil PNG and the state.

Construction is set to proceed in stages, beginning with 11 kilometres of preliminary works, followed by a 23-kilometre extension that will complete the missing connection to the P'nyang Gas Project site, before the final phase seals the road from end to end.

Holding an estimated 4.6 trillion cubic feet of proven gas reserves, the P'nyang LNG Project is expected to become PNG's second major liquefied natural gas venture, joining the PNG LNG Project already operating in Hela Province as a cornerstone of the country's energy sector.

Company officials say the road contribution reflects Ok Tedi's ongoing attempt to ensure its mining activities deliver benefits beyond the mine site itself, reaching communities that stand to gain from improved connectivity.

Acting CEO Alan Bong questioned what purpose copper and gold extraction served if it failed to improve the everyday lives of the people of Papua New Guinea, framing the road investment as part of that wider responsibility.

He added that the company's operations were geared toward meaningful national development, stronger local communities, and support for the country's future under the Take Back PNG agenda championed by the government.

The road project forms part of a larger body of work Ok Tedi has carried out under the Tax Credit Scheme, through which the company has funded infrastructure aimed at improving livelihoods in remote parts of the country.

Figures released by the company show its total Tax Credit Scheme investment stood at roughly K648.86 million as at the end of 2025, spanning a range of projects the company describes as central to its nation-building efforts.

"Our focus is on ensuring that our operations contribute meaningfully to national development, empower local communities, and support the country's future growth under the Take Back PNG agenda," Mr Bong said.