Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) said today that it is providing $1 million for the humanitarian relief effort in Papua New Guinea to assist communities affected by a powerful earthquake and aftershocks in the country’s Highlands area.

 

“We are deeply saddened by the devastation this earthquake has brought to Papua New Guinea,” said Darren W. Woods, chairman and chief executive officer. "Our highest priority remains the safety and security of people in the Highlands community. It’s our hope that our contributions of funding, equipment and other support will provide some relief in a very challenging situation.”

 

ExxonMobil is assisting national and international aid agencies and relief organizations with rapid response community assessments. The company is sourcing tarpaulins, water purification tablets, water containers, food and other humanitarian supplies, and is working with essential service providers to pre-position and distribute resources to areas in the greatest need. ExxonMobil is also helping to reestablish reliable communications, providing phones to relief agencies and organizing community meetings.

 

“In response to the prime minister’s immediate state of emergency, we have committed to deploying our expertise and resources to aid recovery efforts in the wake of this natural disaster,” said Andrew Barry, managing director of ExxonMobil PNG. “We are working closely with the National Disaster Centre, aid agencies and our community partners to determine where best to direct our resources.”

 

On Thursday, ExxonMobil, utilizing a company-chartered helicopter, led a team of emergency assessment and relief personnel on one of the first visits to the Highlands area since the disaster. On board were disaster assessors from international aid agencies and representatives of various relief organizations including the United Church, Salvation Army, International Organisation for Migration, Adventist Development and Relief Agency and the United Nations Development Programme.

 

Anticipating immediate resource needs, the team delivered essentials, including shelter equipment, water and sanitation support to the Para Health Clinic, which serves the Para, Tokaju and Hides areas.

 

Status of ExxonMobil’s Papua New Guinea Operations

 

The company continues to assess operations and facilities in the country. Operations have been safely shut down at two liquified natural gas trains at its PNG LNG plant near Port Moresby, the Hides Gas Conditioning Plant and Hides well pads in Hela Province, and non-essential personnel from the Hides plant have been evacuated. There is no damage to the pipeline and no reports of gas leaks from the complexes.

 

About ExxonMobil in Papua New Guinea

 

ExxonMobil has been in Papua New Guinea since the 1920s and currently has a workforce of 2,500 in the country, 80 percent of whom are Papua New Guineans. The company has interests in fuels marketing and oil production and operates the PNG LNG project, an integrated development that includes gas production and processing facilities, onshore and offshore pipelines and liquefaction facilities.

 

About ExxonMobil

 

ExxonMobil, the largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world’s growing energy needs. ExxonMobil holds an industry-leading inventory of resources, is one of the largest refiners and marketers of petroleum products, and its chemical company is one of the largest in the world. For more information, visit www.exxonmobil.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/exxonmobil.

 

 

 

 

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