Woodside Petroleum
(ASX:WPL) has been accused of failing to properly consult the East Timorese authorities before announcing plans to build a floating LNG platform above the Timor Sea's Greater Sunrise gas field.
East Timor's petroleum industry says Woodside has failed to provide regulators with detailed reports and its findings on three possible development plans for the field before finalising its decision.
East Timor's leaders have repeatedly demanded that the gas be piped to a processing plant in East Timor and have said they wouldn't approve either a floating platform or piping the gas to Darwin.
Fairfax Media reports that East Timor's Prime Minister refused to meet Woodside’s chief executive in Dili yesterday, on the basis that he didn’t want to compromise the integrity of negotiation mechanisms.
However talks were finally held between Woodside's cheif and other representatives with East Timor's President, despite delays caused by protestors before the meeting.
Woodside Petroleum’s 2009 net profit was $1.8 billion, which was an increase on the year before.
