DTE 82, September 2009
The giant Tangguh gas project in Bintuni Bay, West Papua, has now started exporting LNG, amid continuing concerns about social and environmental impacts.
After many delays, the Tangguh project, operated by UK oil multinational, BP, has begun production, with the first shipments of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) delivered to China and South Korea in July 2009. There is much at stake for many people in this operation, not least for the local communities who will be regularly seeing tanker ships ferrying LNG away from their shores. They and the wider Papuan community have been sold this project on promises of development and improved welfare. However, as income starts to flow from this project, concerns about increased militarisation, threats to livelihoods and resource rights persist.
gn [dot] apc [dot] org