Australia and Timor-Leste’s partnership is opening up new opportunities for both countries.
Located just 650 kilometres apart, our economic partnership is growing. An increasing number of Australian businesses are operating in Timor-Leste, covering financial services, oil and gas, shipping, trade, manufacturing, and services.
Timor-Leste boasts a growing pipeline of early-stage minerals exploration projects, with surveying technology, drilling equipment, marine and supply services, maritime transport and more forecast to experience increased demand in the coming years.
The pipeline of mineral exploration projectspresents opportunities for Australian mining equipment, technology and services (METS) businesses. In November 2023, the Timor-Leste Government announced 3 Australian minerals companies as the bid winners of the Timor-Leste Minerals Tender 2023. They are Estrella Resources, Iron Fortune and Beacon Minerals.
In 2025, Tivan Ltd secured exploration tenements across 344km2 in Timor-Leste, located 40 kilometres south of Dili. Further opportunities to secure minerals tenements will arise in 2025, with the national minerals regulator Autoridade Nacional dos Minerais preparing a second-stage tender of remaining concession areas.
Timor-Leste Australia Economic & Business Conference 6–8 August 2025
The Timor-Leste Australia Economic & Business Conference provides an opportunity Australian and Timorese businesses to connect across a range of key industries including agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, mining and minerals.
Ryan Smith and Soraya Smith from Top End Controls & Automation (TEC Automation) will be joining other leading Australian METS businesses at the conference on 6–8 August 2025 in Dili, Timor-Leste.
TEC Automation is a proudly Indigenous-owned and operated company that specialises in electrical control systems and automation, including hazardous areas of work for the mining and resources sector. Since 2019, the company has become a Northern Territory provider of automation solutions, sewerage and water systems, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), building management systems, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems and communications.
Australian METS businesses are invited to register for the Timor-Leste Australia Economic & Business Conference and to explore the opportunities to diversify into Timor-Leste. Find out more and register via TLAUCON2025 | Dili, Timor-Leste.
Caption: Austrade’s Timor-Leste Senior Adviser Daniel Hall with Ryan Smith and Soraya Smith from Top End Controls & Automation.
Industry demand in Timor-Leste
Increasing opportunities in the following areas are anticipated over the coming years:
- Surveying technology and services (including aerial magnetic, radiometric, electromagnetic surveying, data analysis and mapping).
- Laboratory-scale soil/rock analysis testing equipment and services.
- Drilling services, drilling equipment and consumables (mud logging, well testing, fluid/waste disposal services, stimulation services, water trucks, drill fluids, downhole tools and equipment).
- Various marine and supply services (helicopter transport, medical services, food supply, PPE equipment, transport and logistics services).
- Bathometric survey services, maritime transport, berthing facility design and construction.
Energy, carbon capture and storage exploration and development
Onshore and offshore energy exploration is progressing in Timor-Leste. Australian explorer Timor Resources is the operator of 2 onshore exploration blocks in partnership with Timor Gap.
Timor Gap is Timor Leste’s state-owned energy company, established to manage Timor-Leste’s national energy resources and enhance national capacity. Timor Gap is involved in several upstream and downstream projects.
In mid-2024, Timor Resources sought expressions of interest from companies that could provide services (e.g. drilling, mud logging, well testing, fluid/waste disposal services and stimulation services) and equipment/supplies (e.g. drill rig, water trucks, drill fluids, downhole tools and equipment). Kazakhstan’s HTS Exploration has also been awarded onshore oil and gas exploration blocks.
Timor-Leste boasts significant offshore energy reserves, with Woodside and its partners progressing the Greater Sunrise Joint Venture, located 150 kilometres south of Timor-Leste. Santos, Finder Energy, Sunda Energy and HTS Exploration are among several companies progressing energy and carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in the Timor Sea, south of Timor Leste.
Significant opportunities for marine and supply services are forecast, pending development of projects in the Timor Sea.
Case study: Estrella Resources commences maiden drilling program
Estrella Resources has approximately 700km2 of minerals exploration tenements in Timor-Leste and has been active exploring since March 2024. On 30 January, Estrella announced that it had completed a $3.75m placement to fund its planned drilling program in Timor-Leste. The company’s primary target is manganese deposits.
On 12 February 2025, Estrella announced that applications to allow the start of a drill campaign were being prepared for relevant government bodies, with Darwin-based drill contractor H2O Drilling exporting drilling equipment to Timor-Leste via Darwin.
The drilling equipment will be operated by Timor-Leste registered CoreSearch Minerals and Mining Services LDA, which will deliver up to 23,000m of RC and diamond drilling. Estrella Resources has entered into a binding Memorandum of Understanding with state-run Murak Rai Timor to create a joint-venture partnership controlling the company’s activities within Timor-Leste.
Austrade assistance
Austrade is positioned to advise clients about emerging opportunities for their business in Timor-Leste – and the best market entry approach. Austrade aims to strengthen economic and business links to support Timor-Leste’s development and regional integration, aligned with Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.
Australian businesses looking to explore METS opportunities are encouraged to contact Austrade’s Timor-Leste Senior Adviser Daniel Hall.
Go further, faster with Austrade
Austrade’s Go Global Toolkit helps you learn the export basics, find the right markets and understand market requirements.
Go further, faster with Austrade
Austrade’s Go Global Toolkit helps you learn the export basics, find the right markets and understand market requirements.