Looking for a bigger cut

ONE year after Papua New Guinea’s richest oil project was launched, landowners claim they have a raw deal, Dissident landowners have asked Kutubu developers Chevron Niugini to renegotiate the December 1990 deal.

Provincial Premier Albert Mokai said they had expected business spin-offs and developments such as roads and public amenities. Chevron said it had built “schools and other facilities " in (he area.

PM RabbieNa maliu said government

could not see Kutubu affected as it involved a massive investment of SSUSI billion for just construction. Kutubu, with 200 million barrels of crude oil, is a joint venture between Chevron (25 per cent), BP Petroleum (25), BMP (12.5), Oil Search (10.017), Merlin Petroleum (6.25) and Merlin Pacific (6.25). Con struction and exploration have been spread as stocks proven at Kutubu exist in separate structures in the heavily faulted area. □