The South Coast Project was designed to develop the oil and gas sector in the Tasi Mane region of Timor-Leste. Its development is spearheaded by the Tasi Mane Project (TMP) unit that has been mandated, on behalf of the Ministry of Petroleum and Minerals, to manage and administer the “conception and execution” of the oil and gas sector in three main clusters of Tasi Mane project. Suai, Betano, and Beaço’s integral infrastructure include a supply base, refinery and petrochemical complex, LNG complex, new towns, Suai Airport, and a Suai to Beaço Highway.
Suai Cluster
The Suai Cluster focuses on the Suai Supply Base, Airport, and Nova Suai.
The Suai Supply Base is designated to be a logistics base for the petroleum industry’s service center in Timor-Leste with the goal of supporting oil and gas activities both onshore and offshore. It will provide facility support including fabrication facilities, open yards, mini-shore bases, warehouses, and human resources. The project is currently being revised in conjunction with the Timor-Leste government to optimize its benefits and capabilities.
The Suai Airport, named the “Commander-in-Chief of FALINTIL Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão International Airport”, will offer a variety of domestic, charter, and international flights. Its redevelopment allows for safer operation of light aircraft and helicopters to support petroleum activities and supply base operations. Current upgrades include:
- 1.5 km long runway
- New terminal building
- Customs and Immigration Services
- Fire station
- Helipad
- Medevac Air Ambulance Station
The creation of the supply base and airport will bring new people and business to the area, which is why TIMOR GAP will help to build a new town called Nova Suai. Nova Suai will have business centers, multi-family residences, and employee housing.
Betano Cluster
The Betano Cluster focuses on the Betano Refinery and Petrochemical Complex and Nova Betano.
The Betano Refinery and Petrochemical Complex is the second industrial cluster of the Tasi Mane Project to be built in the South Coast of Timor-Leste. It is located on the coast of Manufahi Municipality, approximately 70km south of Dili. The project is approximately 230 hectares and contains a processing unit and supporting facilities.
During this construction process, a new town, called Nova Betano, will be built. This town will house 14,500 staff, contractors, and their families and TIMOR GAP will support the addition of schools, hotels, a commercial area, recreation facilities, and ancillaries including water, waste, sewage, and power plants.
Beaço Cluster
The Beaço Cluster focuses on the Beaço LNG Facility, Nova Beaço, Nova Viqueque, and the Suai to Beaço Highway.
The Beaço LNG Facility, called Timor-Leste Liquified Natural Gas (TLNG), will include both upstream and downstream activities. The upstream phase will include the development of the subsea wells and associated production system and the offshore condensate processing and export facilities; and the downstream phase, which is anticipated to be built in Beaço and will encompass the gas export pipeline to shore (across the Timor Trough), the LNG Plant facilities and the Marine Facilities for LNG export.
To facilitate the LNG facility, Nova Beaço and Nova Viqueque will be built to resettle the local community. This will include traditional housing with modern materials and sanitation.
In order to connect all of the new clusters being built, TIMOR GAP will support the construction of a Highway from Suai to Beaço. The Highway will be 155.679 km and has 4 phases of construction that are run by the Project Management Unit including representatives of the Ministry of Petroleum and Materials and Ministry of Public Works. Phase I has been open to transit since 2018 and the procurement process for the re-design of the Highway Section 2 concluded in 2020. The re-design project’s purpose is to realign the Highway Section 2 route.
