DILI, 04 October 2019 (TATOLI) – Timor GAP is cooperating with Australian Firm, Timor Resources to begin the first oil drilling on the mainland for this year – at Suai Kovalima and Betanu-Manufahi.
The Director of Timor Resources, Luís Pereira said, the Timor Resource has prepared to begin the drilling despite of COVID-19.
“We see the situation of covid-19 is going back and forth and affect the world, including Timor-Leste and it as also effected the drilling schedule. But now we have our first drilling plan to be set in July,” Mr Perreira said.
He added that, on November 9, 2020, The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral, Victor da Conceição Soares with his Committee pay a visit to the oil side at Kumbili and Karau, located at the Matai Area, Administrative post of Suai Covalima Municipality.
The Technical team and the manager are coming from Indonesia to see the drilling engine that has been store in Suai for nearly a year, to prepare for the drilling.
“Our team have received the authorization from the government to come to Timor-Leste after we submitted our request to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, they will comply with the 14 days of mandatory quarantine,” He said.
The team has begun the mobilization for the engine before the consultor are going to conduct the verification, and it is also including the presence from the National Authority of Petroleum and Mineral (ANPM) to authorize them to perform the activity.
The five blocks were first mapped in 2017, with geological surveys and other studies. In October 2018 a seismic test was also conducted in Block A (Kovalima and Maliana District). Elsewhere, the business commissioned tests using the ‘fibrosis’ system, an alternative to seismic analysis. This was conducted in October at Block C, at the Betanu site (between Alas and Hatudu).
the companies plan to drill three to five wells in Block A, commencing at the beginning or end of 2020. Each has a shallow-field, down to 2,000 meters, and is expected to cost around $US 35 million each.
Rights for the onshore Block B have also gone to the state-owned petroleum company, TIMOR GAP.
Journalist: Florêncio Miranda Ximenes
Editor: Julia Chatarina
