ExxonMobil Urged to Rethink Papua LNG Pipeline Over Rare Bat and 27 Species

ExxonMobil has been urged to rethink its Papua New Guinea gas project over risks to one of the world's rarest bats, with a final government decision on the 5.6-million-tonne-a-year Papua LNG development expected in December. Yahoo reported the warning from a law firm working with impacted landowners.

CELCOR's Letter on the 320-Kilometre Pipeline

The Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (CELCOR) wrote to ExxonMobil to express concern about the project, which the US energy giant agreed last month to take control of. A 320-kilometre pipeline would carry extracted gas to a coastal processing facility, eventually producing 5.6 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas each year.

"The Papua LNG footprint will pass through densely forested landscapes, fragile ecosystem, floodplains and mangrove-covered coastlines," the centre wrote in a letter seen by AFP. "The project area-of-influence includes 27 terrestrial species already at threat of extinction."

CELCOR said the Bulmer's fruit bat was potentially at risk, with fewer than 200 adults in the wild at last count, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. "If external scientists have never studied a species, then potential risks cannot be accurately understood, let alone mitigated," the letter read.

CELCOR executive director Peter Bosip said many communities remained unclear about the project's effects. "The landowners are not particularly clear about the social and environmental impacts of the project, so the government must not rush this project," he told AFP.

Market Forces Flags Financing Gap

Market Forces campaigner Angelica Mantikas said the project posed a risk to one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. "At least 32 banks and export credit agencies around the world have ruled out financing Papua LNG due to serious human rights, biodiversity and climate risks," Mantikas said.

Papua LNG has previously said it integrated "environmental and social considerations into every state of its development", including efforts to limit climate impact and measures to ensure biodiversity continued to flourish. AFP contacted ExxonMobil and Papua LNG for comment.

ExxonMobil's Growing Papua LNG Role

ExxonMobil raised its Papua LNG stake to 34% in the third quarter of 2026 and assumed operatorship there, according to akta.pro company records. The same records describe ExxonMobil as an integrated energy company operating upstream oil and gas, downstream refining, chemicals and low-carbon solutions across 54 countries under the Exxon, Mobil and Esso brands.

ExxonMobil agreed in September to take over as operator from France-based TotalEnergies, which retains a significant stake. Australian gas exploration company Santos and Papua New Guinea's national energy company Kumul Petroleum are among the other major partners.

Earlier Steps in the Papua LNG Story

ExxonMobil agreed to a $5,100 penalty and a $5,100 local project after an unauthorized air release at its Beaumont chemical plant, Yahoo reported in October 2026; the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality found 474.81 pounds of volatile organic compounds released over 29 hours. World Oil reported in October 2026 that ExxonMobil raised its Rovuma LNG stake to 50% and its Papua LNG stake to 34% in the third quarter of 2026, assuming operatorship at Papua LNG.

December Decision Ahead

A final government decision on Papua LNG is expected in December, according to Yahoo.