Equidistance in the Timor Sea

Using Google Earth to find points of equal distance in the Timor Sea

East Timor Indonesia

Jaco Island

Timor Sea

Leti Island MoaIsland

LakorIsland

Miarang

Total 22.2 miles between Jaco Island and Leti

Point EQ2 is 20 miles from both Jaco and Leti

At 43.5 miles from Jaco the closest Indonesia island is Moa at 43.5 miles

At 60 miles Lakor is closer than Moa

To test points for equal distanceyou need two things: 1)a ruler and

2)geographic points to measure from

Google Earth provides both the Map and the Ruler

EQ9 is an important point

Summary

Points of equal distance are the foundation upon which politicians, bureaucrats,

businessmen and lawyers argue.

However, the points themselves are neither political nor legal. They are just points that are equal distance between

two countries.

Joined together – an equidistance line

Lines of equidistance are the points of “equal distance” measured between the shorelines, or in

some cases the baselines, of neighboring countries.

There is error in placing the ruler, or in the way Google Earth represents the Timor Sea. Even with these possible errors, the true line of equal distance in this area between

Indonesia and East Timor is within 1/4 mile of this line

Superimpose Sunrise oil and gas field

Superimpose theTimor Sea Treaty JPDA

Thanks to ViewFromLL2 for the blog:

“Google Earth Map for the Timor Sea Maritime Boundary Dispute”

http://viewfromll2.com/2014/03/17/google-earth-map-for-the-timor-sea-maritime-boundary-dispute/

Thanks to Hydrographer.org for an objective analysis of Lines of Equidistance that includes:

• precise data from NASA/JPL SWBD shoreline vectors• introduces the use of circles to show disregarded landmass• Equitable principles, analysis, and alternate proposals

“Timor Sea Maritime Boundaries: a presentation for the ICJA/ILA Colloquium at University of New South Wales” 16 August 2014

Available at this website: www.hydrographer.org

Measuring La’o Hamutuk proposed alternate boundary

Source: La’o Hamutuk website:

http://www.laohamutuk.org/Oil/Boundary/2013/TSAreas2013en.gif

3D analysis of water column and seabed

Zoom into line of Equidistance

Tilting to viewpoint below water surface

Please excuse my grade school graphics

Water column

Ocean floor

Ocean surface

Seabed

Showing 3d or vertical distinctions

“Line of Equidistance” Extending from surface through the water-column past the ocean floor and through the seabed

Line of Equidistance

(Inside JPDA: ET 90%, Aus 10%)

In 1997 Indonesia and Australia agreed to separate the water column and the seabed in areas to the east and west of the Timor Gap

Gray area: rights are shared – Indonesian water column and

Australian seabed

Add Sunrise

‘

East Timor seeks to move the Maritime Boundary away from the line of Equidistance so that ALL of Sunrise is within its EEZ. To accomplish this East Timor seeks to negotiate with Australia a new Maritime Boundary

• Australia can give away its seabed rights, but cannot set or move the East Timor/Indonesian Maritime Boundary

• To move the Maritime Boundary as proposed by Lao Hamutuk or by Lowe, Carleton, and Ward, East Timor must take Indonesian EEZ from Indonesia.

• East Timor must negotiate the Maritime Boundary that separates the Indonesian/East Timor EEZ with Indonesia

‘

and

Illustrated again from a 2D map view:East Timor seeks to acquire ALL of sunrise by virtue of the claim that Sunrise is closer to East Timor than it is to Australia. About 83 miles closer.

However Sunrise is closer to Indonesia than it is to East Timor

To accomplish this acquisition East Timor seeks to move the Maritime Boundary so that ALL of Sunrise is within the Timor EEZ. Moving the Maritime Boundary means changing the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).

CMATS gives East Timor jurisdiction over JPDA water column

CMATS gives East Timor jurisdiction over JPDA water column

This Maritime Boundary is an East Timor/Indonesia issue

This Maritime Boundary is an East Timor/Australia issue

This Seabed is an Australia/Indonesia issue