Speaking at the UBS Resources Conference in Sydney yesterday, Voelte said the Sunrise JV continued to work with international and Timor-Leste non-government organisations to deliver projects that had a positive impact on the wellbeing of its people.

"The Sunrise JV stands ready to take this investment to a new level. As I have said previously, the Sunrise joint venture is committed to progressing the FLNG development in a way that provides substantial long-term benefits to the people of Timor-Leste," he said.

"We are really looking forward to discussing with the Timor-Leste government the opportunities for scholarships, traineeships, employment and local industry content and business opportunities."

He reiterated that Woodside had fulfilled its obligations under international treaties and had selected a concept that provided best commercial advantage consistent with good oil field practice.

"We have submitted a floating LNG selection report, which includes our feasibility studies on all three options, with very clear reasoning behind our decision," Voelte said.

"Now it is the regulator's turn to act."

Voelte had earlier said that while there was no technical impediment to piping gas from the Greater Sunrise fields to Timor-Leste, its studies found that it would cost about $US5 billion more than FLNG and presented major technical risks revolving around the construction, maintenance and operation of the pipeline due to water depths in the seismically active Timor Trench.

He provided further details about the Sunrise development, saying the JV planned to produce from seven wells at field start-up.

"At full field development, the field will be produced from 26 wells via a distributed subsea gathering system, comprised of a number of main flowline headers extending radially from the FLNG facility.

"The system is sized to meet the peak LNG production rate, with additional deliverability [through wells and flowlines] in the event of well failure."

He added the FLNG vessel would be about 480m long and 75m wide, making it about 50% longer than a US Nimitz class aircraft carrier as well as three times the length and half the width of the Sydney Cricket Ground. The topsides will weigh about 50,000 tonnes.

"It will be permanently moored using an internal turret at a location above the Greater Sunrise fields in water depth between 175 and 400 metres and has been designed for a one-in-10,000-year weather event," Voelte said.

In addition to its 4 million tonne per annum LNG production capacity, the vessel will be capable of producing 10.3 million barrels of condensate per annum and storing both products. An option to separate and store liquefied petroleum gas is also being considered.

"From a technical perspective FLNG is the best fit for Sunrise. Greater Sunrise is a moderately sized field, remotely located in an ocean with favourable metocean conditions," Voelte added.

"The Timor Sea Treaty even contemplates and makes reference to the use of FLNG at Sunrise."