SEJARAH LADANG MINYAK TIMOR 🇹🇱🇦🇺 || Rebutan Beberapa Pemodal Asing.

Summary

The history of oil exploration in Timor Leste spans from Alfred Russel Wallace's initial discovery in 1861 to a series of foreign-led efforts and political negotiations. After Wallace's early exploration, British, Australian, and Southeast Asian companies conducted various drilling operations, although many failed due to political instability and external conflicts. The story includes controversial agreements, such as the 1997 Timor Gap deal between Australia and Indonesia, which continued to shape the region's oil industry even after Timor Leste gained independence. The complex legacy of oil exploitation remains central to Timor Leste’s modern political and economic challenges.

Takeaways

• 😀 Alfred Russel Wallace, an English natural historian, first discovered oil in Timor in 1861.
• 😀 The first scientific exploration of oil in Timor was conducted by Dr. Sales in 1891, though it didn't detail the oil reserves.
• 😀 In 1893, an English engineer, Waduk, successfully started the first oil drilling operation in Timor, exporting several tons of oil.
• 😀 John Eliot, an Australian, obtained an oil concession in Timor in 1902, but his exploration was short-lived, lasting only six years.
• 😀 In 1910, foreign companies including those from France, Japan, and Australia took over oil exploration in Timor, achieving some success.
• 😀 In 1926, the Australian company Petroleum Company took over oil exploration but was deemed unsuccessful and liquidated by 1930.
• 😀 Exploration continued with new companies, including Development Corporation, but faced challenges due to Portuguese interference.
• 😀 In 1936, the Alex Mining Corporation and other Southeast Asian companies began oil exploration, but most efforts were unsuccessful.
• 😀 By 1939, after several failed ventures, Australia negotiated with Portugal for oil concessions, leading to successful explorations in Timor.
• 😀 The 1970s saw significant international collaboration in Timor's oil exploration, involving companies from the US, Australia, and the UK, leading to new discoveries in offshore and onshore fields.
• 😀 After Indonesia's invasion of Timor Leste in 1975, oil exploration was fast-tracked, and by the late 1990s, Australia and Indonesia signed controversial oil deals in the Timor Gap, dividing resources between the two countries while ignoring Timor Leste's sovereignty.

Q & A

Who was the first to discover the potential of oil in Timor?

Alfred Russel Wallace, a British natural history scholar, was the first to recognize the potential for oil in Timor during his visit in 1861.

What significant event occurred on November 20, 1891, in relation to oil exploration in Timor?

On November 20, 1891, Dr. Sales conducted the first scientific research into the oil potential of Timor, though it did not provide detailed findings regarding the quantity of oil in the region.

What role did English engineer Waduk play in the oil exploration of Timor?

English engineer Waduk initiated the first oil drilling operation in Timor in 1893, following the encouragement from Dr. Sales' research. The operation was moderately successful, producing several tons of oil.

How did the oil exploration efforts in Timor evolve after the initial drilling in 1893?

After the initial success, oil exploration in Timor continued to attract foreign investments. In 1902, an Australian named John Eliot gained oil concessions, but his exploration efforts only lasted for six years. Following this, multiple European and Australian companies participated in the exploration process.

What challenges did foreign oil exploration companies face in Timor throughout the early 20th century?

Foreign companies faced political instability, resistance from local populations, and competition for oil concessions. Several exploration projects, such as those by Timor Petroleum Company and others, were either short-lived or halted due to these challenges.

What marked the oil exploration efforts in Timor Leste during the 1920s and 1930s?

In the 1920s and 1930s, the exploration efforts were marked by a series of failed or short-term ventures. Australian companies like Petroleum Company and Timor Oil Company struggled with small-scale operations and had limited success. New exploration companies continued to attempt drilling but faced bureaucratic and political obstacles.

How did the political landscape affect oil exploration in Timor Leste after 1975?

After 1975, when Indonesia invaded Timor Leste, oil exploration efforts intensified, with Australia and Indonesia taking a more aggressive stance in securing oil rights. The Timor Gap agreement of 1997, between Indonesia and Australia, marked a controversial decision regarding the oil reserves, which was made amid the ongoing conflict and the suffering of the Timorese people.

What was the Timor Gap agreement, and how did it affect the oil exploration in the region?

The Timor Gap agreement, signed in 1997 between Indonesia and Australia, divided the oil reserves in the Timor Sea. The agreement was highly controversial as it was signed while Timor Leste was still under Indonesian occupation, and the interests of the local population were largely ignored.

What were the key terms of the oil agreement negotiated by Timor Leste after its independence?

After Timor Leste gained independence in 2002, a new oil agreement was negotiated in which 90% of the oil revenue from the Timor Sea was allocated to Timor Leste, and 10% went to Australia. This agreement was formalized despite tensions regarding the previous Timor Gap agreement.

Why was the oil exploration in Timor Leste so contentious, especially during the period leading to its independence?

The oil exploration in Timor Leste was contentious due to the political instability caused by the Indonesian occupation, the conflicting interests of foreign governments and companies, and the exploitation of resources at the expense of the Timorese people. The Timor Gap agreement and subsequent negotiations highlighted the tensions over control of the region's resources.