BP launches Papua cultural orientation program

BP Indonesia launched Thursday a Papua cultural orientation program for its staffs to help avoid cultural misunderstanding with the local people, which could inhibit the operation of its LNG project in the province.

The Neraca daily quoted BP Indonesia vice president for public and government affairs Satya W. Yudha as saying that three Papua indigenous people talked about local Papua culture in the orientation program.

BP is constructing an LNG (liquefied natural gas) refinery facility in Tangguh, Papua province.

BP expects to be able to start construction of the facility in 2003 and to be completed in 2005. Production is expected to start in 2006.

Tangguh has 14.4 million cubic feet of proven gas reserves.

BP Indonesia is competing with two other bidders from Australia and Qatar to supply LNG to China?s Guandong province starting in 2006.

Late last year, Pertamina signed an agreement with Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) and another power company from that country, GNPower, to supply LNG from Tangguh.

BP Plcs owns 50 percent of the Tangguh project. (*)