Mission Statement

For the benefit of the people of Timor-Leste and Australia, the Timor Sea Designated Authority shall manage the development of petroleum resources in the Joint Petroleum Development Area, in accordance with the Timor Sea Treaty, having regard to the health and safety of all personnel, protection of the environment, economic efficiency, transparency, the development of the institutional and human resource capacity of the Timor-Leste petroleum sector, and good oil field practice.

The Timor Sea Designated Authority (TSDA) was created on 2 April 2003 , pursuant to the Timor Sea Treaty between the Government of Timor-Leste and the Government of Australia. The role of the TSDA is to administer the Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA) on behalf of the Governments of Timor-Leste and Australia.

The TSDA is headed by an Executive Director , who is supported by staff in four Directorates: Legal, Finance, Technical and Corporate . The TSDA is responsible to a Joint Commission, which consists of three appointed Commissioners (two from Timor-Leste and one from Australia). The Joint Commission, in turn, is responsible to a Ministerial Council, which consists of an equal number of Ministers from Timor-Leste and Australia.

The role of the TSDA is to administer and regulate all petroleum activities in the JPDA . This involves promoting acreage for competitive bidding for awards of contracts; approving, monitoring and reporting on work programs, budgets, work variations, acreage relinquishments; and issuing regulations and directions and monitoring compliance.

We have offices in Darwin, Australia and Dili, Timor-Leste. Planning is currently underway to consolidate the two offices and conduct all TSDA activities from Dili. It is our aim to develop human resources in the Timor-Leste petroleum sector and to contribute to institutional development in Timor Leste.