Page 47 - Oil&Gas-AustralAsia-2015-Issue-1
P. 47
T IMOR-LESTE
Shell’s FLNG technology, the Prelude vessel, is Much of the conflict arises from the to,” Mr Coleman said.
almost complete. Image courtesy of Shell. country’s maritime boundaries being Timor-Leste’s Resources Minister said
negotiated at a time when Indonesia Woodside’s comment was a bit unfor-
The Timor-Leste government has of- occupied East Timor. tunate saying it may have “short-cir-
fered to buy out the remaining partners Boundaries set back then tend to favour cuited” the progress of discussions with
of the Sunrise project to ensure the Australia, with the marine boundary Woodside, but wanted to maintain an
onshore processing option goes ahead. line falling much closer to the Ti- open dialogue with the Australian oil
mor-Leste coast out of the way of the and gas operator.
majority of the hydrocarbon resources At a recent CEDA event in Sydney
that lie in the area. Woodside chief executive said in these
A re-drawing of the maritime bounda- challenging times for oil and gas the
ries could mean almost US$30 billion company had built very strong ties with
Asia.
While the country is growing it still A navy officer watches the Bayu-Udan oil and gas
rated among the world’s poorest, with platform from a Australian Defence Force vessel.
third-world living conditions and Image courtesy of the ADF
education standards, in 1999 the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) partnered “Woodside has supplied LNG reliably
with the Government of Timor-Leste for more than 25 years to Asia and all
to help make long-term improvements parts of the industry, including con-
in living standards three years before sulting companies and service compa-
Timor-Leste gained independence from nies, need to concentrate on bolstering
Indonesia in 1999. knowledge and leveraging capabilities
to pursue new opportunities in places
“In the initial years, our support con- worth of resources would go to East that have limited operating experience,”
centrated on emergency infrastructure, Timor. Mr Coleman said.
since 2006, assistance has focused on The consequences of this would effect
rehabilitating infrastructure required JPDA agreements, as technically “That’s often not going to be the places
for connectivity, and building the they are temporary documents un- that we go on holidays to – (opportuni-
capacity to ensure that infrastructure til maritime boundaries are defined. ties are) going to be in those places that
is operated and maintained effectively. Timor-Leste filed negotiations on the are going to require a very, very, strong
Strong economic growth since 2007 is Maritime Boundary last year with both anti-bribery and corruption policy, very
likely to have reduced poverty, howev- nations agreeing to arbitration, making strong human rights and security prin-
er Timor-Leste’s human development the Sunrise field an uncertain invest- ciples in place, very strong values and
indicators are among the lowest in the ment. beliefs and corporate core knowledge.
region,” the ADB said. Woodside Chief Executive Peter Cole- It’s going to be tough, but the rewards
Issues around the Joint Petroleum man said the Greater Sunrise devel- are there,” he said in March. §
Development Area (JPDA) and inter- opment was just at a point where all
national maritime boundaries in the re- stakeholders have worked through all
gion continue to plague Australian and their options.
Timor-Leste diplomatic relations, in the “You know what the next step is, but
past the two countries have quarreled before you take that next step you need
with Timor-Leste alleging Australia to know who you’re paying your rent
spied on negotiations to the Certain
Maritime Arrangements in the Timor
Sea (CMATS) agreement that concern
the Sunrise development.
A Awww.oilandgasaustralasia.com MARCH/APRIL 2015 OIL & GAS ustral SIA 45
Shell’s FLNG technology, the Prelude vessel, is Much of the conflict arises from the to,” Mr Coleman said.
almost complete. Image courtesy of Shell. country’s maritime boundaries being Timor-Leste’s Resources Minister said
negotiated at a time when Indonesia Woodside’s comment was a bit unfor-
The Timor-Leste government has of- occupied East Timor. tunate saying it may have “short-cir-
fered to buy out the remaining partners Boundaries set back then tend to favour cuited” the progress of discussions with
of the Sunrise project to ensure the Australia, with the marine boundary Woodside, but wanted to maintain an
onshore processing option goes ahead. line falling much closer to the Ti- open dialogue with the Australian oil
mor-Leste coast out of the way of the and gas operator.
majority of the hydrocarbon resources At a recent CEDA event in Sydney
that lie in the area. Woodside chief executive said in these
A re-drawing of the maritime bounda- challenging times for oil and gas the
ries could mean almost US$30 billion company had built very strong ties with
Asia.
While the country is growing it still A navy officer watches the Bayu-Udan oil and gas
rated among the world’s poorest, with platform from a Australian Defence Force vessel.
third-world living conditions and Image courtesy of the ADF
education standards, in 1999 the Asian
Development Bank (ADB) partnered “Woodside has supplied LNG reliably
with the Government of Timor-Leste for more than 25 years to Asia and all
to help make long-term improvements parts of the industry, including con-
in living standards three years before sulting companies and service compa-
Timor-Leste gained independence from nies, need to concentrate on bolstering
Indonesia in 1999. knowledge and leveraging capabilities
to pursue new opportunities in places
“In the initial years, our support con- worth of resources would go to East that have limited operating experience,”
centrated on emergency infrastructure, Timor. Mr Coleman said.
since 2006, assistance has focused on The consequences of this would effect
rehabilitating infrastructure required JPDA agreements, as technically “That’s often not going to be the places
for connectivity, and building the they are temporary documents un- that we go on holidays to – (opportuni-
capacity to ensure that infrastructure til maritime boundaries are defined. ties are) going to be in those places that
is operated and maintained effectively. Timor-Leste filed negotiations on the are going to require a very, very, strong
Strong economic growth since 2007 is Maritime Boundary last year with both anti-bribery and corruption policy, very
likely to have reduced poverty, howev- nations agreeing to arbitration, making strong human rights and security prin-
er Timor-Leste’s human development the Sunrise field an uncertain invest- ciples in place, very strong values and
indicators are among the lowest in the ment. beliefs and corporate core knowledge.
region,” the ADB said. Woodside Chief Executive Peter Cole- It’s going to be tough, but the rewards
Issues around the Joint Petroleum man said the Greater Sunrise devel- are there,” he said in March. §
Development Area (JPDA) and inter- opment was just at a point where all
national maritime boundaries in the re- stakeholders have worked through all
gion continue to plague Australian and their options.
Timor-Leste diplomatic relations, in the “You know what the next step is, but
past the two countries have quarreled before you take that next step you need
with Timor-Leste alleging Australia to know who you’re paying your rent
spied on negotiations to the Certain
Maritime Arrangements in the Timor
Sea (CMATS) agreement that concern
the Sunrise development.
A Awww.oilandgasaustralasia.com MARCH/APRIL 2015 OIL & GAS ustral SIA 45
