East Timor's Greater Sunrise Gas Project Delayed Again

The Greater Sunrise natural gas project in East Timor has been pushed back by two years to its earliest possible production start, now expected to begin in 2034 or 2035. The announcement comes from East Timor's petroleum minister, Francisco da Costa Monteiro, who made the statement at the Gastech conference in Bangkok.

The project, which has faced decades of delays due to disagreements with Australia, is crucial for East Timor's economy as it seeks to prove that its bets on LNG are viable and attract investors. The country hopes to commercialize other gas reserves in the region.

East Timor and Australian partner Woodside previously forecasted production would begin between 2032 and 2035. Monteiro said a final investment decision is expected by 2029, following last week's finalized negotiations over the project.