ExxonMobil Corp (XOM) said Tuesday it was suspending work at areas around its $15.7 billion PNG LNG project in Papua New Guinea after a landslide earlier in the day.

ExxonMobil's Esso Highlands unit said in a statement that the landslide had blocked a key access road and the company was shutting down work in the Hides and Komo area.

"Esso Highlands has been in communication with the government, including the National Disaster and Emergency Relief Office," the company said. "Our immediate concern is for the safety and wellbeing of our workforce and the community in the area."

In a separate statement, Oil Search Ltd (OSH.AU) said there has been no damage to the PNG LNG operating area.

"The landslide took place on the side of the Hides mountain, between the Hides operations and the main LNG construction sites," Peter Botten, Oil Search's managing director, said.

PNG LNG is in construction and Oil Search said earlier Tuesday that it remains on track to achieve first LNG sales in 2014.

-By Enda Curran, Dow Jones Newswires; 61-2-8272-4687; enda.curran@dowjones.com

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