East Timor's President Jose Ramos Horta says the Australian company Woodside Petroleum is taking a stubborn approach to debate on the Greater Sunrise gas field.

East Timor says the gas should be funnelled to the island nation, but the company wants to process it on a floating platform.

Negotiations have stalled over the field, which could be worth $AU13 billion to East Timor. The new financial year brings a new chief executive to Woodside and President Ramos Horta says he hopes that will make a difference.

"Previous CEO of Woodside who already left, he was not even willing to talk about the Timor Leste option which is unacceptable even from an investor's point of view," he said.