DILI, 10 October 2025 (TATOLI) – The Kuda Tasi and Jahal oil fields are considered vital to ensuring Timor-Leste’s long-term energy security, with production projected to start between late 2027 and the first quarter of 2028, announced Timor GAP Vice-President Domingos Siga Maria.
The announcement was made during the national seminar themed “Challenges and Sustainability of the Petroleum Fund and Alternatives for the State Post-Bayu Undan”, held on Wednesday at the Dili Convention Center.
“Kuda Tasi and Jahal are oil fields, not gas fields, located near the Kitang field, where the [Italian] company ENI previously conducted production activities,” he said. “Both fields have confirmed reserves — not very large, but sufficient to proceed to the production stage.”
Domingos added that Timor GAP is currently collaborating with the Australian company Finder Energy on technical studies that will form the basis for future investment.
“If everything goes as planned, we expect to enter the Final Investment Decision (FID) phase before the end of this year. Once that’s completed, we’ll begin project construction and development, and if progress remains on schedule, production could start by late 2027 or early 2028,” he explained.
Domingos highlighted that both companies are now carrying out an engineering study, describing it as “the key step” before production begins. “This process involves complex technical and engineering design work and should be finalized by mid-next year,” he added.
When asked about the estimated reserves, he said the Kuda Tasi and Jahal fields contain more than 20 million barrels of crude oil.
“Each barrel currently trades for between US$75 and US$80 on the international market. I can’t provide specific financial projections since that falls under the responsibility of the economic division, but it represents significant potential for the country,” he noted.
Finder Energy CEO Damon Neaves recently met with President José Ramos-Horta to present the company’s two-year development plan for the Kuda Tasi and Jahal projects.
During the meeting, Neaves said that although the two fields are relatively small, “they hold reserves capable of supporting the Timorese economy, particularly after the decline in production from the Bayu-Undan field,” which for nearly two decades was the main source of revenue for the Petroleum Fund.
The Kuda Tasi and Jahal fields are located in the Timor Sea, off Timor-Leste’s southern coast, within the former Joint Petroleum Development Area. Kuda Tasi was discovered in 1998, followed by Jahal in 2000, through exploratory drilling conducted by ConocoPhillips and its partners.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Filomeno Martins
