Mr. Wapu Sonk
Managing Director
Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited
Mr Sonk is the Managing Director of Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited (Kumul Petroleum), formerly National Petroleum Company PNG Holdings Limited.
Since his appointment as the Managing Director of NPCP in January 2013 and transitioning through to Kumul Petroleum, Mr Sonk has been the driving force behind building the Kumul Petroleum Holdings Ltd (formerly NPCP), where the highlight has been the successful legislative reforms that has led to the birth of Kumul Petroleum as Papua New Guinea’s National Oil and Gas Corporation. The legislation now gives the NOC a strong foundation to grow and move forward.
Mr Sonk has over two decades of experience as a Papua New Guinean leader in the oil & gas industry. His career matured with the industry itself maturing from being an oil exporting country to now LNG exporter.
He has occupied numerous leadership roles in the Petroleum Industry of PNG since beginning his career with Chevron Nuigini Pty Ltd in 1997. These roles include Director – PNG LNG Project at IPBC, Chairperson of Society of Petroleum Engineers (PNG Section) (2011), Technical Manager at NPCP (Kroton), Drilling & Completions Engineer at Oil Search Head Office, Sydney, Drilling Rig Operations Supervisor, Field Coordinator - PNG to QLD Gas Pipeline Project FEED Team (2005) and Petroleum Engineer for Chevron.
Mr Sonk continues to be a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (Worldwide), and Institute of Engineers PNG.
Mr Sonk holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree (Mining Engineering) from the University of Technology, Lae, Papua New Guinea; a Diploma of Business (Business Management) from the Melbourne Business School, Mt Eliza Centre for Executive Education, Australia.