InterOil Corporation Message Board

Fwiw, IOC does not have the same difficulty reaching people at DPE as this reporter. I'm glad to say, however, that IOC is waiting for modified project agreement approval from the NEC, not DPE; and the NEC is anxious to get things moving toward their Gulf LNG revenues, especially given that the Somares screwed up the Exxon project investment and will get no revenues from that for many years to come.

Not a new problem y'all. Back in April 2010 this flattering DPE article told about how their offices were closed because they hadn't paid their electric bill. Guess what? Lots has happened since then.
"DPE office closed

By MOHAMMAD BASHIR

If any foreign investors walked into the Department of Petroleum and Energy (DPE) office to enquire about some potential multi-million-kina investment in PNG since Tuesday, they would have been shocked.
To start with, the security guards would have turned them away at the gate but if they did get in, they would have been confronted by an empty office with no workers.
The next best thing left for them would be to pack up and leave for some other country where they would be welcome.
DPE, which is charged with managing the State’s interest in the multi-billion-kina PNG LNG project, is in total disarray.
The office has been closed because water supply and electricity to the office have been cut due to non-payment of bills.
The top management has been accused by one of its top managers yesterday of placing priority on landowner monies rather than managing the department.
The headquarters at Gabua Street, Konedobu, does not have little things like toilet rolls, printer toners and photocopy papers.
The power supply was cut on Tuesday as DPE owes PNG Power K100,000 in total arrears. Secretary Rendell Rimua’s office at the far corner was locked with a dead lock and he could not be reached for comments either. Landowners who mobbed the place daily were nowhere to be seen, leaving the place as a ghost office. Barely six months ago, the office was closed for the same reason, power bills totalling K82,686.35.
Yesterday, staff were told to go home while visitors to the office were turned away by contract security guards manning the premises.
According to a couple of upset staff at the office, DPE was one of the most mismanaged departments of all although it was one of the most well-endoweded with K13 million plus annually for management.
“Where’s all the money gone? Top managers here are more worried about landowner funds than the core function of the department,” one of the officers said.
The officer (known) said the top management were forever taking overseas trips and hardly settled down and worked.
He said oil and gas projects were in PNG and not in other countries to necessitate those travels.
“We see air-conditioning technicians around here every second day although the system is working perfectly,” he said, adding, there were too many unnecessary contractors.
“Just imaging some multi-billion-kina investor comes here to enquire about investment.
“It would be a total embarrassment and I think the Government must step in as a matter of priority,” the officer said."
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20100423/news02.htm
Nothing new.

It would appear nearly everyone connected to the PNG "government" is a scammer or a crook.

Liam Fox is a straight shooter but if he really told it like it is I suspect he wouldn't be too safe in PNG which is his gig.

PNG Industry News is a hack business rag. I assume everything they right is biased or calculated.

I hope people continue to invest in PNG so they can learn important life lessons about gambling in crooked card games.

Good grief!!! What a mess. That is hard to believe. Here these guys want to get the gulf project going, but they are in a state of disarray. I liked the final comment hinting at the Shell bribe. I guess everyone knows about the bribe, but it doesn't matter. These guys dont care and will do what they want when they want. Frightening.