Timor Resources spuds first onshore well in East Timor in 50 years

Timor Resources Pty Ltd, Brisbane, has spudded the first onshore exploration well in East Timor in more than five decades.

The well, Feto Kmaus, lies in production sharing contract TL-OT-1708 in Suai near the island’s southern coast.

It is also the first well to be drilled onshore since East Timor gained its independence from Indonesia in 2002. Historically, drilling dates back to 1910 with the bulk of wells in the country drilled during the 1960s and early 1970s in an area that is noted for 30 oil and seven gas seeps.

There has been no commercial production, but some seepage oil is used by local villagers.

Timor Resources signed the PSC in 2017 and began its campaign by acquiring new 2D seismic data, interpretation of which has identified two prospects, Feto Kmaus and Liurai, both of which have multiple targets.

Historical data combined with modern technology has delineated structural and stratigraphic plays throughout the PSC, the company has said.

An independent assessment by Netherland Sewell in 2018 suggested the region has potential to yield more than 120 million bbl of recoverable oil.

The Feto Kmaus well will be followed immediately by Liurai.

Eastern Drilling is providing the rig and an operations crew. The rig was landed in East Timor last year, but the drilling programme has been delayed by the COVID pandemic.

Timor Resources is operator of the program with 50% interest. East Timor’s state-owned company TimorGAP has the remaining 50%.

Source: Oil & Gas Journal