Last week, the Petroleum National Authority (ANP) approved the Kitan field Development Plan for the exploration of oil by Eni, one of the largest European companies in oil production, and its partners in this joint venture.

The Kitan oil field is located approximately 250 Km South of Timor-Leste and 500 Km north of Darwin, in the Joint Petroleum Development Area.

As an interested stakeholder, the Government of Timor-Leste congratulated itself with this project, which is predicted to start up to the end of 2011 and which contains approximately 34,5 million barrels of recoverable oil.

The Secretary of State for Natural Resources, Alfredo Pires, complimented “Eni’s proactive and cooperative approach, and that of its joint venture partners, for working in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Timor-Leste.”

Eni states that “it is committed in maximizing Timor-Leste’s economic participation in the Kitan project, utilizing Timorese products, services and workers” and that “it will continue to work with the Government of Timor-Leste in a series of social and economic initiatives towards the country’s economic growth”.

Alfredo Pires also stated that “this Plan’s approval is another push for the onshore development of the petroleum industry in Timor-Leste” and reinforced “the Secretariat of State’s commitment in the project that, progressively, will bring more jobs to Timorese as well as the increase of products and services. The planned infrastructure for the south coast, and particularly the supply base in Suai, will support this and other projects that will follow, now that the Oil Field Development Plan has been approved by the Government”.

The Secretary of State highlighted ANP’s work as the JPDA regulator, for their professionalism in the field’s administration according to the Government’s perspective.