(English version) Agreement between Australia and Timor-Leste relating to the Unitization of the Sunrise and Troubadour fields Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 6 March 2003

  • Summary

This legal document contains the Agreement between Australia and Timor-Leste relating to the Unitization of the Sunrise and Troubadour fields, signed on 6 March 2003.

The delineation of Unit Area and Unit Reservoirs is clarified in Annex I of the Agreement.

Notably, 20.1% of Greater Sunrise lies within the JPDA established in the Timor Sea Treaty between the two countries in 2002, and thus that 20.1% is attributed to the JPDA, and the remaining 79.9% is attributed to Australia.

For the administration of the Unit Area, a Sunrise Commission whose three-member are nominated by Australia (2) and Timor Leste (1).


(English version) Timor Sea Treaty between Australia and Timor-Leste 20 May 2002

  • Summary

This legal document contains the Timor Sea Treaty between Australia and Timor-Leste, signed on 20 May 2002.

This Treaty provides definitions, regulations, and other legal provisions regarding the exploration, exploitation, and management of petroleum resources in an area of seabed between Australia and East Timor.

The Treaty also establishes the Australia-East Timor Joint Commission to monitor the mentioned petroleum resources-related activities in a Joint Petroleum Development Area (JPDA). The JPDA is located in the Timor Sea, whose specific coordinates are listed in Annex A of the Treaty.

The specific provisions regarding the Dispute resolution procedure are stated in Annex B of the Treaty.

The Treaty shall be valid for 30 years or until Australia and Timor Leste conclude a Treaty delimiting their Continental Shelf boundary (whichever comes first).  Petroleum activities of corporations and entities under the term of this Treaty shall continue "even if the Treaty is no longer in force under conditions equivalent to those in place under the Treaty."


(English version) Exchange of Notes constituting an Agreement between Australia and Timor-Leste concerning Arrangements for Exploration and Exploitation of Petroleum in an Area of the Timor Sea between Australia And East Timor, 20 May 2002

  • Summary

This legal document contains the Exchange of Notes constituting an Agreement between Australia and Timor-Leste concerning Arrangements for Exploration and Exploitation of Petroleum in an Area of the Timor Sea between Australia And East Timor, signed on 20 May 2002.

This is the exchange of notes, the Treaty regarding the Exploration and Exploitation of Petroleum in an Area in the Timor Sea (Timor Sea Treaty of 2002) between Australia and Timor Leste can be accessed here.


(English version) Memorandum of Understanding between Indonesia and Australia concerning the Implementation of a Provisional Fisheries Surveillance and Enforcement Arrangement on 29 October 1981

  • Summary

This legal document contains the English version of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of Australia concerning the Implementation of a Provisional Fisheries Surveillance and Enforcement Arrangement signed on 29 October 1981.

This MoU concludes with the establishment of a Provisional Fisheries Surveillance and Enforcement line in the Timor Sea where the 200-Nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zones of the two countries overlap. Notably, Article 6 clarifies that "this arrangement is provisional in nature ... and does not affect the limits of the 200-nautical mile [exclusive economic] zones established by either country."


(English version) Agreement between Australia and Indonesia Establishing Certain Seabed Boundaries in the Area of The Timor and Arafura Seas on 9 October 1972, Supplementary to the Agreement of 18 May 1971

*Note: This Agreement was signed in 1972 when Papua New Guinea was still an Australian-administered United Nations trust territory (hence called “Trust territory of Papua New Guinea in the Agreement). It was on 15 September 1975 that established an official independent nation of Papua New Guinea.

  • Summary

This legal document contains the English version of the Agreement between the Government of the Common Wealth of Australia and the Government of the Republic Of Indonesia Establishing Certain Seabed Boundaries in the Area of The Timor and Arafura Seas, signed on 9 October 1972. First, This 1972 Agreement is considered supplementary to the Agreement of 18 May 1971, specifically Article 2. The seabed boundary between the two parties in this 1972 Agreement extends westward from point A12, which was the most western point of the agreed boundary in the 1971 Agreement, to point A13, A14, A15, and A16. The specific coordinates of those points are provided in Article 1,

Second, Article 2 of this 1972 Agreement also establishes another seabed boundary between the two countries in the area south of the Roti and Timor Islands. The boundary consists of straight lines connecting points whose coordinates are specified in the same Article.

Visualizing Map: Left: 1972 Agreement's Map; Right: 1971 Agreement's Map


(Bahasa Indonesian version) Agreement between Australia and Indonesia Establishing Certain Seabed Boundaries in the Area of The Timor and Arafura Seas on 9 October 1972, Supplementary to the Agreement of 18 May 1971

*Note: This Agreement was signed in 1972 when Papua New Guinea was still an Australian-administered United Nations trust territory (hence called “Trust territory of Papua New Guinea in the Agreement). It was on 15 September 1975 that established an official independent nation of Papua New Guinea.

  • Summary

This legal document contains the English version of the Agreement between the Government of the Common Wealth of Australia and the Government of the Republic Of Indonesia Establishing Certain Seabed Boundaries in the Area of The Timor and Arafura Seas, signed on 9 October 1972.

The summary article of this document can be found at that of its English version.