Sunda Energy has secured an environmental licence for the Chuditch-2 appraisal well offshore Timor-Leste, completing a key regulatory step ahead of drilling.
The licence was awarded to SundaGas Banda Unipessoal, a subsidiary of Sunda Energy, for the drilling of the Chuditch-2 appraisal well. SundaGas Banda Unipessoal is the operator of the TL-SO-19-16 production sharing contract in Timor-Leste’s offshore waters.
Timor-Leste’s upstream regulator, Autoridade Nacional do Petróleo (ANP), issued the licence on 9 March 2026 after approval by the country’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. The permit remains valid until 9 March 2028.
The award followed the submission earlier this year of the final Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Management Plan after consultations with the regulator. The documents were endorsed by ANP’s evaluation committee before the licence was issued.
The Category A environmental licence includes conditions requiring the submission of a waste management plan before operations begin and the completion of a post-drilling environmental survey.
Andy Butler, chief executive officer of Sunda Energy, said the licence marked a major milestone in preparations for the Chuditch-2 well. He said the approval reflected extensive survey work, studies, reviews and planning, and thanked company colleagues and ANP for their collaborative efforts in preparing the Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Management Plan.
