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Papua New Guinea: TotalEnergies Takes Decisive Steps Towards Final Investment Decision on Papua LNG
- XOM
- TTE
- TTE
PARIS, September 07, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–TotalEnergies (Paris:TTE) (LSE:TTE) (NYSE:TTE) announces that Papua LNG has achieved major contractual and commercial milestones, marking decisive steps towards a Final Investment Decision. Thanks to the close cooperation with the authorities of Papua New Guinea and Papua LNG partners, the following key milestones have now been achieved:
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Completion of the EPC tendering process,with contract award recommendations now readyto be approved by the co-venturers. Since 2024, close to US$ 4 billion cost savings have been achieved through project design optimization (for example, developing an alternative upstream condensate scheme in synergy with PNG LNG) and rebidding EPC packages with an enlarged panel of Asian EPC contractors, bringing the project capital expenditure down to around US$ 14 billion.
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Decision made to maximize synergiesfor the benefit of the projectby transferring the operatorship to ExxonMobil, operator of PNG LNG. TotalEnergies and ExxonMobil will ensure a safe and efficient transition of operatorship while maintaining continuity of project activities and ongoing commitments to the authorities and stakeholders. Together with the transfer of operatorship, in order to give to ExxonMobil a higher stake in the project, TotalEnergies will sell a 9.1% interest (post back-in of Kumul Petroleum) in the project to its Papua LNG partners, in proportion to their existing participating interests and will retain a 20% interest in the project, while maintaining its LNG offtake share of the project.
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Finalization of the Gas Agreement with the Government of Papua New Guinea taking into account this updated budget and optimization. The Gas Agreement signed in 2019 has been amended to ensure robust project economics, including in low cycle, while preserving the State’s long-term fiscal interests.
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Establishment of a LNG marketing joint venturebetween TotalEnergies and the PNG State-related entities represented by Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited, to jointly commercialize 2.4 Mtpa from Papua LNG out of a total production of 5.6 Mtpa, thus supporting the project financing.
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Execution of a LNG offtake Heads of Agreementbetween TotalEnergies as a buyer and the parties of the LNG marketing joint venture as sellers, providing TotalEnergies with access to 1.5 Mtpa of LNG for its own global portfolio.
“These agreements mark decisive step towards the Final Investment Decision of Papua LNG. The transfer of operatorship enhances the project’s value creation and competitiveness by leveraging the synergies with PNG LNG during construction and operations phases. Papua LNG will enable the Company to secure significant LNG volumes, strategically located to support energy supply diversification across fast-growing Asian markets,” said Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies.“I want to thank the Government of Papua New Guinea, led by Prime Minister James Marape, for its continuous support, instrumental in achieving these major milestones.”
