Wood to undertake concept study on Greater Sunrise project
Woodside-led Sunrise joint venture has awarded a contract to Wood for a concept study on the Greater Sunrise gas fields. This follows approval granted by the Timor-Leste government in November 2023.
The study will evaluate key aspects of developing, processing, and marketing the gas resources. A focus area will be placed on delivery options, comparing the viability of processing the gas in Timor-Leste for LNG sales versus transporting it to Australia.
Woodside had previously proposed piping the gas to Darwin, Australia, to leverage existing infrastructure, while the Timor-Leste government advocated for an onshore LNG plant to foster job creation and industrialisation within the country.
“The study will evaluate which option provides the most meaningful benefit for the people of Timor-Leste,” Woodside said. The study is targeted to be completed by no later than the fourth quarter of 2024.
In parallel with the concept study, the joint venture and the governments of Timor-Leste and Australia are continuing discussions on a new production sharing contract, Petroleum Mining Code, and fiscal regimes. Finalising these agreements will provide the necessary fiscal and regulatory certainty for the project to proceed.
The Sunrise development, located approximately 450 km north-west of Darwin and 150 km south of Timor Leste, comprises the Sunrise and Troubadour gas and condensate fields. The fields contain an estimated contingent resource of 5.3 trillion ft3 of dry gas and 226mn barrels of condensate.
Timor Gas owns 56.56% of the project, Woodside Energy has a 33.44% stake, and Osaka Gas Australia owns the remaining 10%.