In May, as part of a mission to provide the petroleum engineering and geology students of the SPE Timor-Leste Student Chapter with much needed global insights, SPE Western Australia (SPE WA) organized the 12th quarterly meeting in Dili. THe event has featured international speakers since its inception in 2023.
It was held at the beautiful UNTL Hera Auditorium and marked the third SPE Distinguished Lecturer (DL) Extravaganza, on this occasion starring two DLs from Houston and Perth.
As SPE members are aware, SPE DLs customarily speak only at professional sections, so we typically ask the lecturers to tone down the technical content to make the talks more palatable for undergraduates. This year we also gained positive perspectives from professionals outside our industry.
SPE Timor-Leste Distinguished Lecturer Extravaganza
This DL Extravaganza attracted around 350 SPE Timor-Leste Student Chapter members from the four universities in Dili offering petroleum engineering, petroleum management, and/or geology degrees. It’s always uplifting to witness the students from Dili Institute of Technology (DIT), National University of East Timor (UNTL), University of Dili (UNDIL), and Universidade Oriental Timor Lorosa'e (UNITAL) proudly wearing their distinct university blazers in a spectrum of colors, with their departments embroidered on the back. Some professionals, including academic staff, attended. Emcees and student chapter officers Cezania da Costa (DIT) and Olavio Silva (UNTL) kicked off proceedings by welcoming everyone, followed by the audience standing to sing "Pátria" (Fatherland), the national anthem of Timor-Leste, which is always quite elevating.
As SPE WA Chair of Timor-Leste Initiatives, I launched into a summary of the key SPE initiatives to support Timorese students. The most prominent, and eagerly awaited, are the annual scholarships, now totaling 58 since 2023, each composed of a week in Perth, a laptop, and a cash stipend. Each applicant must submit a 1-minute selfie video answering a specific question, which for 2026 was "How can the O&G industry earn public trust, correct misconceptions, and effectively share its sustainability efforts with younger generations?” Over 100 applications were assessed by a panel of judges across 5–6 criteria such as creativity and answering the question to determine the winners. This is a record year for sponsorship, with SPE WA able to award 18 scholarships.
I showed the audience two of this year's best winning video submissions—by Débora Maia from DIT and Tito Lemos from UNT—as well as a video compilation of the three Perth visits to date (2023, 2024, and 2025), accompanied by inspiring Timorese music, “Timor Hau Inan Hau Rain” by Neurtura. I then wrapped up with a short quiz on my talk, awarding a first-aid kit to one student from each university. I also acknowledged Tim Scarrott, along with Time Critical and St. John, for generously donating these valued kits.
The first of our DLs, Gang Han, a senior petroleum engineering consultant based in Houston, inspired everyone with his talk “When ‘Geo’ Meets ‘Mechanics.’” Beginning from “Geo” (geoscience) and ending at “Mechanics” (engineering), Han highlighted that the value of geomechanics lies in the integration of geoscience and engineering. His presentation demonstrated the values of geomechanics through integrated case studies at various scales: basin, reservoir, well, and core. From deepwater Gulf of Mexico, North Sea, and Middle East, to US unconventional fields, with geology and geophysics inputs, geomechanics studies mitigate drilling risks, optimize completion and production, improve reservoir recovery, and minimize environmental impact and improve financial returns.
Our second DL, Diego Vazquez, managing director of APES Energy Evolution in Perth, showcased a trending subject in Timor-Leste with his lecture “CO2 Storage Risks & Cost: Busting Perceptions & Myths.” Carbon capture and storage (CCS) has historically faced challenges in achieving commercial-scale success across various regions globally, particularly the assertion that it is excessively risky and costly. Vazquez’s presentation examined a range of successful global CCS projects and business models, highlighting how effective site selection, operational management, and legacy-well considerations influence the risk, cost, and scalability of commercial CO2 storage. The talk concluded with Vazquez’s reflections on value generation beyond direct economic revenue, highlighting scalability and maturation time as key performance indicators for CO2 storage projects. Both DLs also staged a short quiz and distributed prizes to the students.
Wrapping up, newly appointed president of the SPE Timor-Leste Student Chapter Laurita Boavida (DIT) delivered a speech thanking the two DLs, all of our 2026 sponsors, and, of course, the student members attending, who represent the future of the nation. The Timor-Leste Chapter presented colorful traditional Timorese tais to Han, Vazquez, and me as a gesture of appreciation.
The finale signaled the students to politely scramble for selfies for subsequent posting on social media (a national passion), followed by a delicious Timorese lunch on the mezzanine veranda.
An Alternative Perspective on DL Talks
One of SPE WA’s new supporters in 2026 is Konnekto, a locally-based HR solutions provider that empowers local talent and celebrates diversity. This was the first SPE event that Tina da Silva Cruz, managing director, had ever attended. As a leader that embraces a broad range of business sectors, I sought her candid opinion on the potential value of DL talks to the Timorese population, including for example, in the context of energy literacy.
“Whilst not a technician I was captivated and walked away wanting more information and greater insights into this amazing industry. The DL lectures absolutely have potential to contribute to broader energy literacy. When lectures include clear, real-world context alongside the technical content, they help bridge that gap by making complex concepts more understandable and relevant. This is important not only for students but also for leaders and policymakers whose decisions carry significant long-term impact. With some intentional framing or complementary explanation, these distinguished lectures could play a powerful role in strengthening general energy awareness. At the juncture where Timor-Leste finds itself—business acumen in and around the industry's long-term sustainable initiatives, such as CCS, is more critical than ever before.
Education remains one of the most transformative and essential priorities for any individual and any family in Timor-Leste. For many Timorese students, meaningful interaction with industry professionals is rare. Often these valuable moments occur only during externally organized events led by visiting international lecturers or industry peers. They are far more than routine presentations—they are powerful, eye-opening experiences. For many, it is the first time they see and hear from someone actively working in their chosen field, bringing theory to life. These brief, yet impactful, interactions often become the sole source of inspiration, insight, and real-world connection. Students are given a glimpse into what their future could hold—what it truly means to contribute to industry, to solve real challenges, and to build a meaningful career. Sitting in a room with such experts, it becomes easier to believe: ‘This could be me one day.’ The distance between aspiration and reality begins to shrink. Students start to see not just what is possible, but how they might get there,” said Cruz.
Post-Event: Section Meeting, Cristo Rei, and ANP Podcasts
The student event had been arranged to align with the SPE Timor-Leste Section meeting, so in the evening around 60 professional members convened at the Timor Plaza Hotel in central Dili to hear both DLs deliver their original lectures.
Reflecting that this section was officially launched less than 2 years ago, it was deeply satisfying to witness this event. Both speakers were received enthusiastically, including lively Q&A sessions fueled by a generous buffet of local dishes. Bravo to SPE Timor-Leste Section Chair Fernando da Silva and all the section officers.
As Han is an avid runner, we helped assemble some students and professionals for a pre-dawn jog along the Fatucama peninsula, culminating with an ascent up 600 steps to the Cristo Rei statue overlooking Dili.
Whilst not as high as the statue overlooking Rio de Janeiro, the summit still rewarded us with breathtaking panoramic views of the entire Dili bay, Atauro Island, and a stunning Timor sunrise over Back Beach.
Typically, Dili visits always encounter something unplanned or unexpected, and this time, Dino da Silva, president of Autoridade Nacional do Petróleo (ANP), asked us to participate in two podcasts to further promote SPE to ANP’s more than 9,000 followers.
The first podcast was dedicated to the SPE DL Program, moderated by Fernando da Silva with Han, Vazquez, and I as his guests. The second podcast, hosted by Maya Guterres (ANP), investigated the evolution and impact of the SPE student chapter and professional section in Timor-Leste, with contributions from Laurita Boavida, Fernando da Silva, and me.
This initiative has been supported by the generous 2026 sponsors of our Timor-Leste initiatives.
The SPE Timor-Leste Student Chapter is sponsored by the SPE Timor-Leste Section.
