PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Oil Search has placed staff and operations in Papua New Guinea (PNG) on lockdown after that country reported its first cast of Covid-19.
Oil Search on Monday said that the company had been monitoring Covid-19 since early in the year, and had established a taskforce to proactively prepare comprehensive plans to ensure business continuity in the event of a Covid-19 outbreak in PNG.
As a result of these preparations, the company has now started suspending all discretionary activities, such as the acquisition of seismic and development drilling, and is demobilizing non-essential staff from field. All key staff, including expatriates and relief staff are now in PNG, and as a precautionary measure, the company has isolated essential personnel to ensure safe and uninterrupted production from the PNG operations.
“In response to Covid-19, over the past several weeks, we have been making preparations to mitigate the potential impact of the virus on the health and wellbeing of our people and on our business,” said MD Keiran Wulff.
“The comprehensive plans developed by the company’s cross functional taskforce are now being implemented.
“We remain vigilant, with ongoing monitoring of the health of our employees and contractors and protocols for management in place should any Covid-19 cases be suspected.”