Sonk addresses jet fuel issue in PNG Business conference, says import facility soon to be completed

Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited managing director Wapu Sonk says KPHL is in working progress to find an alternative solution for the country’s prolonged jet fuel catastrophe.

Mr Sonk said Kumul Petroleum as the national oil company of Papua New Guinea is currently constructing a jet fuel import facility to bring in fuel.

He said the infrastructure has been setup in Motukea wharf in National Capital District to address the energy crisis which has affected business operations.

“We've had some slowdown with PNG ports, because we tried to sort of operate a jet fuel import facility within the international terminal,” he said of the construction.

“So, a lot of consideration for their own operation as well as ours. So, we've not found a solution as of last Friday.

“We should be able to get back into construction mode to have a faster construction of a jet fuel import facility at Motukea Wharf.

“So that should be online first quarter next year. We were targeting December this year, but we've been pushed back, because we had to find a solution on how to work within an operating wharf area.”

KPHL had stepped in to supply fuel for the country over the past few months as part of the ongoing solutions.

The unending energy catastrophe is a result of monopoly as Puma is the sole trader of jet fuel in PNG.
When addressing this issue, Sonk said they sought make a restructure in the market to avoid future fuel problems in the country.

“So, they [Puma] were using that as a leverage to basically hold the country to ransom, let's put it simply, and we have been working with them painfully, because they have the infrastructure, but we are building our own,” Sonk said.

He said the new facility will have a storage capacity of four to six weeks’ fuel supply center in Port Moresby.

Similar jet fuel import facilities will be built in Lae and other centers, but the focus is to find a short-term solution.