SPE Western Australia (SPE WA) has extended its collaborative partnership with Australian Energy Producers (AEP) after the two organizations delivered an inaugural seminar last year. On 24 August, they held their second joint event at Universidade Nacional Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL)’s Hera Engineering Campus. This featured another AEP flagship seminar, "An Introduction to the Energy Transition," again delivered by Peter Moore, an Australian National Geoscience champion from Canberra. This was to be the final quarterly event organized by SPE WA, undeniably one of the very best in the past 4 years.
AEP advocates for members, communicates with governments, and works to contribute to Australia’s economic growth, energy security, and a net-zero future by 2050. AEP member companies produce 95% of Australia’s oil and gas, reinforced by a series of well-crafted initiatives and prominent promotional campaigns. A case in point is Australian natural gas, which is pivotal to the energy system transformation regionally, providing the firm dispatchable energy required to unlock its renewable energy potential, and powering national industries including those processing the critical minerals crucial to attain net zero.
On this occasion, an audience of more than 300 comprised undergraduates in petroleum engineering, petroleum management, and/or geology from Dili Institute of Technology (DIT), UNTL, University of Dili (UNDIL), and Universidade Oriental Timor Lorosa'e (UNITAL). Participants included 25 professionals from sponsors, Timor-Leste government, operators, and academia. Proceedings were led by two student emcees, Debora Baz Maia from UNTL and Egidito Sequeira de Araujo from DIT, kicking off with "Pátria," the national anthem.
This 1-day “Introduction to the Energy Transition” seminar, which is frequently delivered commercially in major cities across Australia, comprised 14 sections, starting with a general overview of the energy transition, which is widely regarded as critically important, but it is also more nuanced than simply replacing fossil fuels with renewables. The energy transition is the long-term shift from an energy system dominated by coal, oil, and natural gas toward one with a much greater role for renewables, electrification, energy efficiency, storage, nuclear power, hydrogen and other lower-emission technologies, all of which the seminar addressed. Moore exceeded expectations by including specific Timor-Leste context for each energy type, discussing those optimally suited and not suited to the country and which offered most value to the nations’ future energy security, much appreciated by the attendees.
Several times throughout the day, the room came alive to the sound of Timorese ballads, performed by student singers and guitarists from both UNTL and DIT. The music quickly became a shared experience, the entire audience singing along. The performances were spontaneous and rousing, filling the room with a real sense of Timorese spirit and camaraderie. The songs were particularly welcome following a traditional Timorese lunch on the mezzanine, bringing renewed energy and enthusiasm to the audience as attendees headed into the afternoon session.
At the conclusion of this topical seminar providing a valuable contribution to Timor-Leste’s energy literacy, Dirca da Costa, carbon capture and storage engineer at Timor Gap and also VP and secretary of the SPE Timor-Leste Section, had the honor of expressing appreciation to Moore by presenting him with a traditional Timorese tais (handwoven scarf). President of the SPE Timor-Leste Student Chapter, Laurita Boavida (DIT), gave some insights of the recent team-building weekend in a bid to entice more students to serve in the leadership team. I expressed SPE WA’s sincere thanks to the UNTL Faculty of Engineering, Science, and Technology for the use of their facility, as well as to AEP, particularly Julie Hood and Sarah Stevens in Brisbane. The finale triggered a tsunami of selfies with the young Timorese undergraduates … whilst the band played on.
2026 Student Officer Team-Building Trip to Ataúro Island
SPE WA is committed to enhancing the leadership and interactive and teamwork skills of the student officers. In 2024 we launched an annual team-building initiative for these 12 to 14 aspiring young petroleum engineering and geological sciences students with an overnight trip to Baucau in the east of the country, and then in 2025, to Balibo in the west. This was the third annual team-building workshop for the student officers, this time venturing on a 3-hour voyage north onboard the Nakroma Ferry to the island of Ataúro.
Ataúro is a small, mountainous island about 21 miles north of Dili, sitting between Timor-Leste and the Indonesian island of Wetar. It is a rugged, relatively undeveloped tropical island with extraordinary coral reefs and a very strong traditional community culture. The island sits within the Coral Triangle, and its surrounding waters have exceptionally high marine biodiversity with the tourism authority reporting that 1,253 reef-fish species were recorded at a single site in 2016, a world record.
The team-building weekend was held at Barry’s Place, a small beachfront eco-lodge near Beloi, consisting of simple thatched cabins set among tropical gardens, and highly focused on ethical tourism. It has an open-air restaurant where guests eat together, and meals are served buffet-style. The atmosphere is deliberately informal and communal. Barry's Place has helped establish Ekipa Tasi Mos Ataúro—the Clean Ocean Team Ataúro, which works on removing marine debris from Ataúro’s coastline, recording it, reducing single-use plastics, and developing local recycling and upcycling initiatives, including gifts for visitors.
The 2 days featured a blend of engaging team and individual challenges, mostly in the open-air beachfront gazebo but also featuring a four-team timed treasure hunt within the extensive grounds with each team uncovering the treasure (a bag of chocolate bars). The winners were astounded to discover that their “prize” was singing a Timorese song, much to the delight of everyone else. The other guests still having breakfast absolutely loved the impromptu Timorese ballad.
We kicked off initially with Two Truths and a Lie on an individual basis. By sharing three statements about their lives to date, team members sparked conversations, built understanding, and enhanced camaraderie. It encouraged interaction, curiosity, and laughter, creating a more cohesive team environment. Some were very creative, some not; however, everyone adored this game. Ultimately Cezania, Laurita, and Wilson were the top three, each winning a customized SPE t-shirt from Perth.
Cristina da Silva-Cruz and Nivia Perreira from Konnekto, our 2026 supporter, also traveled to Ataúro to help facilitate the program, leading copycat chaos, a team-building exercise, as well as a special edition of musical chairs on the beach. Mid-afternoon, after rigging up a projection screen to endure the sea breeze, I delivered a 1-hour presentation on basic first aid including CPR and trauma, thanks to Time Critical in Perth. Two key observations: first, none of the undergraduates had previoiusly attended first aid training, and second, everyone was extremely attentive while absorbing the material. Ultimately, Melcio was the clear winner of the quiz with 92%. He and two runners-up each claimed a first aid kit prize.
The team savored meals together at a long table under the swaying palms, with views across the deep Wetar/Ombai Straits to the Indonesian islands and mainland Timor. During a wonderful buffet dinner including homemade coconut chili sauce (a delicious accompaniment with all meals here, including breakfast), we engaged in conversation about careers before returnng to the gazebo. Earlier this year, I had acquired two sets of the game Connect 4 from the US, so this was rebranded as the “Konnekto-4 Challenge” for some after-dinner entertainment. Amid all the fun and several qualifying rounds, the tension was palpable as the two finalists, Laurita and Santina, concentrated intensely, battling it out to be the champion. Aside from the Connect 4 games as prizes, we also gave away Australiana mugs and socks, with every officer (including Andre, Deonizia, Lucas, Rui, and Zidel) awarded at least one prize plus a Konnekto hat.
Handing Over the Events Baton From SPE WA to SPE Timor-Leste
Since 2023, SPE WA has honored its longstanding commitment to arrange quarterly meetings in Dili for the Timorese SPE student members.
The 13 meetings to date have featured national presidents, ministers, CEOs, managing directors, SPE Distinguished Lecturers, and many captains of industry from all regions globally, with up to 600 students attending any given event.
It was always the intention to transfer responsibility for these quarterly events to the local SPE section. On 27 August, I visited the head office of ANP, the petroleum regulator, on behalf of SPE WA, to formally hand over responsibility to Sr. Fernando da Silva, chair of SPE Timor-Leste Section.
Whilst heralding the end of a memorable era, there is no doubt that SPE Timor-Leste, established in 2024, is now well equipped to lead this initiative forward, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026.
2026 Sponsorship
These initiatives have been supported by the generous 2026 sponsors of our Timor-Leste initiatives.
