Oil and Gas Industry Investment and Its Implications for Tenurial Conflict: A Study on Land Disputes in Teluk Bintuni Regency, West Papua Province
Hans Mamboai(1,2)* , Eymal B. Demmalino(3), Sawedi Muhammad (4), Deny A. Iyai (5)

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the structure of stakeholder networks and the key factors influencing tenurial conflicts arising from oil and gas (O&G) industry investments in Teluk Bintuni Regency, West Papua. The Stakeholder Network Analysis (SNA) approach was employed to map the relationships of power, interest, and influence among actors at traditional, local, regional, national, and international levels. The network analysis reveals that BP Tangguh LNG, SKK Migas, and the Teluk Bintuni District Government occupy central positions with the highest degree of influence, while the Sebyar and Sumuri indigenous communities remain on the periphery with low connectivity but high social and environmental vulnerability. Further, the Cartesian mapping of actors based on High-Low Conflict and Vulnerability dimensions identifies four main clusters High Conflict-High Vulnerable (indigenous communities, local NGOs), High Conflict-Low Vulnerable (oil and gas companies), Low Conflict-High Vulnerable (local government and customary institutions), and Low Conflict-Low Vulnerable (central government and foreign investors). Using Structural Equation Modelling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS), the study found that the dominant factors influencing tenurial conflict are the perceived injustice in benefit distribution (loading = 0.82), weak consultation and FPIC mechanisms (0.78), and overlapping spatial policies (0.73). These findings underscore the importance of developing a collaborative governance model rooted in tenurial justice and indigenous participation for sustainable O&G investment in Papua.

Keywords: oil and gas investment, tenurial conflict, West Papua, stakeholder network analysis (SNA), SEM-PLS, indigenous peoples

Topic: Social and Cultural Dimensions in Coastal Cities