Kisakiu is the partner responsible for the commercial
practice at PKA. His principal area of practice is structuring of commercial
arrangements, oil and gas, and mining.
Kisakiu completed his undergraduate studies in law at the
University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG). He also has a Diploma in Legislative
Drafting program and a Masters of Law from the University of Ottawa in Canada.
Professional Biography
Kisakiu is the partner responsible for the Firm's commercial practice.
His principal area of practice is in the structuring (and where required in the completion)
of commercial arrangements (including the conduct and completion of high level legal due diligence) oil and gas, and mining.
He has acted not only for resources clients but also suppliers of equipment and machinery to
mining projects, the State and State-owned commercial entities, joint venture partners (including those in the hotel business) and financiers of resources projects.
He was nominated by Chambers Global as "one of the best natural resources lawyers" in PNG.
In July 2012, Kisakiu was invited by Thomson Reuters to provide a comparative over view of the regulation of
petroleum exploration and production in PNG, which he completed and is published in The European Lawyer (a leading journal
covering developments in legal practice throughout Europe).
Experience & Expertise
His experience extends to:
- Negotiating, structuring and drafting of commercial arrangements into legal documents
- Advising on oil and gas, and mining tenement and licensing issues
- Negotiating landowner issues that apply to oil and gas, and mining projects
- Advising on issues regarding State participation in oil and gas, and mining projects
- Participating in the mediation of oil and gas, and mining disputes that are project related
- Advising on PNG law issues affecting financing of oil and gas, and mining projects
- Advising on PNG law issues relevant to labour and employment requirements of oil and gas, and mining projects
- General corporate and commercial advice
- Drafting of legislation and amendments to legislation
- Advising on environmental law issues
- Advising and acting for the PNG Government
- Advising and acting for State owned entities.
Sample of Transactions/Matters
Some indicative examples of some matters that Kisakiu has been involved in are:
- BP's disposal of all of its upstream petroleum assets in PNG to Oil Search Limited;
- A US$125 million credit facility for Orogen Minerals Limited;
- The Gobe Petroleum Project;
- A multi million USD bridging facility for Niugini Mining Limited with regard to the Lihir Gold Project;
- Advising BP on the aborted LNG project;
- Refinancing of the Lihir gold project;
- Corporatisation of Post & Telecommunication Corporation to become Telikom PNG Limited, Post PNG Limited and PANGTEL; and
- MRDC's acquisition into the Lihir Gold Project and financing of that acquisition.
- A USD100 million bridging facility from a syndicate of offshore lenders to Kulim Malaysia Berhad to enable it to acquire New Britain Palm Oil Limited;
- A USD125 million credit facility provided by EFIC in 1991 to Highlands Gold Limited to enable Highlands Gold Limited to satisfy its funding obligations in the Porgera Gold Project;
- Sale by MRDC of the State's interest in the Porgera Gold Project to Orogen Minerals Limited; and
- Acted for EFIC since 1991 in all credit facilities that it has to date made available to PNG borrowers.
- Worked on MCC's acquisition of an 85% project interest in the Ramu Nickel Project.
- Worked for Petromin on its acquisition of the Tolukuma Gold Project.
- Advised the Central Bank of PNG on issues regarding the PNG LNG Project and the steps to be taken by the Bank in addressing those issues.
- Acted for the State of PNG in the midstream and downstream components of the InterOil LNG Project.
- Advised the State on the restructuring and consolidation of its participation in mining and petroleum projects, and the State owned enterprises that include public utilities.
