Petroleum Potential of Onshore

Timor-Leste
The Petroleum Potential of
Onshore Timor-Leste
A new multiclient prospectivity report by
Tim Charlton
Consultant Regional Geologist
www.timcharlton.co.uk
charlton@manson.demon.co.uk
 Timor-Leste
• Independent country between
Indonesia and Australia
• Former Portuguese colony, annexed
by Indonesia 1976, independent
since 2002
• Area 14,900km² plus extensive
offshore territory. Population ~1.1
million
• Democratic, stable government
• EITI (Extractive Industry
Transparency Initiative) compliant
• 2 previous offshore licensing
rounds, equitable block awards
• Current offshore production from
Bayu-Undan field in Joint Petroleum
Development Area shared (90:10)
with Australia. Two fields in JPDA
exhausted (Elang, Kitan)
 Natural oil and gas seeps
More than 60 natural/drilling-induced oil
and gas seeps identified across Timor-
Leste (at least 10 primarily oil)

Present or past small-scale commercial oil

production from 3 seep localities:

• Matai (Suai): 12.6 barrels/day 3-month

average (1959)
• Pualaca: current artisan exploitation up to 5
barrels/day
• Aliambata: 20 ton, 5000 gallon oil sample
shipped to Melbourne, October 1925
 Previous drilling
• Earliest shallow wells at Pualaca (1888)
and Aliambata (1904) – both
encountered minor oil
• 5 further wells at Aliambata pre-World
War 2
All wells encountered oil
1914 well had 3 blowouts
1926 well 2 shallow horizons yielded 15 and
36 barrels/day oil
• Timor Oil 1956-1974
21 wells drilled, 12 encountered oil, 2
subcommercial discoveries (Matai-1A tested
110 barrels/day; Cota Taçi-1 216 barrels/day)

Further information on exploration history: see www.timcharlton.co.uk

 Timor oil characteristics
• High-quality low to moderate
viscosity oil
Timor Oil used Matai oil unrefined to run
diesel trucks
Pualaca oil described as of ‘remarkably
high quality’
• Primarily light to intermediate
oils
Gravity range 14.5-44.6°API
• Low sulphur
Range 0.08-1.36% S (one report of 4%
sulphur was a typographic error: 0.4%)
Oils with lowest API gravity and
highest viscosity/sulphur content
are biodegraded
 Current licensing status
In December 2015 Timor GAP
E.P., the Timor-Leste national
oil company, was awarded
one onshore and one
offshore PSC. They will be
seeking farm-in operating
partners for both licences.

Timor GAP’s onshore PSC includes some of the Timor GAP onshore PSC
most attractive exploration leads identified in this
study. Timor GAP offshore PSC
However, significant exploration potential is also
recognised in the currently unlicensed eastern half
of Timor-Leste.
 Petroleum Potential of Onshore Timor-Leste
A new non-exclusive multiclient report
The report is in two parts:
Volume 1: General aspects of
exploration 6
- Stratigraphy
- Structure and tectonics 4
(including prospectivity 5
structural model)
3
- Palaeogeography and regional 2
evolution
- Petroleum geology (source, 1
reservoir, seal, maturation,
regional analogues, etc.)

Volume 2: Prospectivity by sub-region

1. Suai area Prolific oil seeps; 16 wells drilled, 9 finding oil, 2 subcommercial discoveries.
The report identifies and describes 6 leads, 2 potentially multi-hundred million barrel fields
2. Betano area Minor oil seeps; 2 wells drilled; 3 leads identified - 2 potentially very large
3. Aituto-Bazol area Numerous gas seeps, 1 oil seep; large, underexplored structures
4. Pualaca area Prolific, high quality oil seeps; 2 good sized leads
5. Aliambata area Prolific oil seeps; 5 wells >100 feet, all encountered oil; 3 substantial leads
6. Lautem area Minor oil seeps; 2 very large, underexplored structures
 Tim Charlton
• PhD (London University) on the structure and evolution of southern West
Timor
• Postdoctoral research (London University SE Asia group) in the eastern
Banda Arc (fieldwork in Tanimbar and Kei), and the Sorong Fault Zone
(Waigeo, Halmahera, Obi, Bacan, Sula)
• Since 1990 consultant regional geologist (new ventures fieldwork and
prospectivity studies; continuing academic studies)
• Since 2000 particular focus on Timor-Leste (extensive field-based
prospectivity studies onshore; lead geologist for a PSC licence in the Timor-
Leste – Australia JPDA offshore)
• Extensive publications on the geology of Timor, eastern Indonesia & SE Asia,
and the prospectivity of the Banda Arc (AAPG Bulletin, IPA Proceedings)
Further details at www.timcharlton.co.uk
Contact: charlton@manson.demon.co.uk