Timor-Leste says stalled Greater Sunrise gas project is finally moving ahead

Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta says the long-delayed Greater Sunrise gas project is now moving forward, with the first agreements expected to be signed early next year. He described the venture as "finally happening" after years of deadlock and procrastination. The project has been one of the country's most closely watched economic plans for years because of its potential to reshape the energy sector.

Ramos-Horta said Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao had told him he was confident the parties would sign the agreement within the next few months and finalise three main documents. Those documents are intended to set the regulatory and fiscal framework for exploration and development at Greater Sunrise. Timor-Leste has previously said the parties reached technical agreement in Canberra on the Petroleum Mining Code, the Production Sharing Contract and the fiscal regime.

The plan centres on piping gas from the Greater Sunrise fields to Timor-Leste's south coast, where the government wants to build a multi-billion-dollar liquefied natural gas plant and a domestic gas facility. Officials say the project would generate jobs and economic activity in a country that has long sought new sources of revenue. But the development has also faced persistent scepticism over whether the commercial case can be made.

The project matters because Greater Sunrise has been presented by Timor-Leste as a potential engine for long-term economic transformation. The country has argued that the scheme could bring billions in revenue and create opportunities that have been promised for years. At the same time, the scale of the plan means it depends on agreement between Timor-Leste, Australia and Woodside Energy, which holds a stake alongside Timor-Leste's state-owned oil and gas company.

The latest comments build on an agreement reached last November to "mature and progress" the plan. That step was seen as a sign that the long-running dispute and uncertainty around the project might be easing, even though major questions remained. Analysts and industry sources have continued to warn that a commercial deal is not guaranteed and that a final investment decision could still be years away.

Woodside and Timor-Leste's government said last year that first LNG from Greater Sunrise could be produced as early as 2032 to 2035, depending on concept selection and investment. That timeline underlines how far the project still has to travel before any gas reaches market. For now, the key issue is whether the expected agreements can be signed on schedule and whether the parties can turn technical progress into a workable commercial plan.

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