The Timor-Leste government has approved a long-awaited set of regulations to govern onshore oil and gas activities in the country.

The regulations have been years in the making and will have an important impact on ongoing and future onshore operations, "especially exploration currently being conducted and planned on the south coast, and will also apply to the new blocks awarded during the ongoing licensing round", said Ricardo Silva, partner and co-head of energy and natural resources at Miranda Law Firm.