A long-running saga appears to be nearing a conclusion in Papua New Guinea (PNG) as the country's two main operators, ExxonMobil and Oil Search, face a key decision either pull the plug on or progress the multi-billion dollar Highlands Gas Project, also known as the PNG-to-Australia pipeline project.
The stakes are high for all the project participants but are perhaps highest for PNG itself, which is desperate for the big development to get up and running because of its economic and social benefits, and because the project will determine the future direction of PNG's upstream industry.
