Operator TotalEnergies has announced the decision of the Papua LNG joint venture to begin the first phase of front-end engineering and design (FEED) studies for the upstream production facilities of the Papua LNG project.

As part of the overall project schedule, studies for the downstream liquefaction facilities are progressing, and the integrated FEED is intended to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022. In 2023, the project is expected to reach a final investment decision (FID), and in 2027, it will begin operations.

“The commencement of upstream FEED studies is another significant step towards developing the Papua LNG project, which will increase Papua New Guinea’s LNG export capacity and thus contribute to its further development,” said Julien Pouget, Senior Vice President Asia Pacific for Exploration & Production and Renewables at TotalEnergies.

The Papua LNG joint venture is committed to developing a project that is sustainable, conserves biodiversity, and emits low carbon emissions. Specifically, the project will capture and store CO2 from the fields and re-inject it into the reservoirs.