Newly appointed Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited director Isaac Lupari has inspected two major company projects, citing strong progress as the state-owned firm advances infrastructure tied to the country’s energy security and petroleum sector development.
Lupari on 2 May visited the Motukea Fuel Facility and the Caution Bay Training and Fabrication Facility, accompanied by acting managing director Luke Liria and acting chief operating officer Roge Kila.
“It is pleasing to see that these facilities are at an advanced stage of completion,” Lupari said, noting that the Motukea Fuel Facility is expected to reach mechanical completion within a week.
He said services have been connected and staffing completed, with commissioning scheduled for June and commercial operations targeted for August.
The Motukea facility has a storage capacity of 12 million liters of Jet A-1 fuel and was developed in response to concerns over fuel security after supply disruptions when Puma Energy halted imports.
At the Caution Bay site, Lupari said the training academy is structurally complete, while a Safe Live Processing Plant — previously located at the Kumul Petroleum Academy in Idubada — has been transferred to the site ahead of the next round of technical training.
A nearby 294-man accommodation camp has also been completed and is ready to support contractors involved in petroleum developments in the area.
Lupari said the Kumul Petroleum board is reviewing major project activities, including evaluating the most effective management structure for the facilities.
“These initiatives are aimed at supporting the development of the petroleum and broader resource industries in Papua New Guinea, while maximizing national content,” he said.
He added that the company is positioning itself for participation in the proposed Papua LNG Project, with a focus on securing equity and contributing across multiple aspects of the development.
Lupari said Kumul Petroleum will continue to work with the government, industry partners and financiers to advance the project and drive long-term economic growth.
“Kumul Petroleum remains a cornerstone in the development and safeguarding of PNG’s natural resources sector, while contributing to national development goals,” he said.
