18.07.2024 19:34
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, announced that Turkey will search for natural gas and oil in three blocks in the Somali seas. This step aims to increase Turkey's energy supply security. Access to Somalia's rich energy resources will further strengthen Turkey's influence and strategic importance in the region.
The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, announced that Turkey will search for hydrocarbon resources in 3 blocks in the Somali seas.
Minister Bayraktar attended the signing ceremony of the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Agreement between Turkey and Somalia, which was held in Istanbul with Somali Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Abdirizak Omar Mohamed. Speaking at the press conference after the ceremony, Bayraktar stated that Turkey has become one of the countries with the most important deep-sea fleets in the world today.
Bayraktar emphasized that the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) continues its intensive search in its seas with 4 deep-sea drilling and 2 seismic vessels, and pointed out that as a result of these searches, Turkey has made a significant natural gas discovery in the Black Sea, saying: "In August 2020, we made the most important natural gas discovery in the history of the Republic and we have reached the production stage to meet a part of our country's natural gas needs from here in a very short time. Currently, we are producing 5.5 million cubic meters daily in the Sakarya Gas Field."
Bayraktar also mentioned an important discovery in the field of oil in September 2021, saying, "We have reached a daily production of 45 thousand barrels in 41 wells in Gabar. We aim to increase this production to 100 thousand barrels as soon as possible."
"TURKEY TO SEARCH FOR OIL AND NATURAL GAS IN SOMALI WATERS" Bayraktar recalled his previous statement that Turkey will actively engage in natural gas and oil exploration not only in its own lands and seas but also in certain geographies and countries, saying, "We see an example of this today. We see that the inter-ministerial agreement we made with Somalia on March 7, 2024, in this hall has now become more concrete." Bayraktar drew attention to the oil and natural gas resources in the Somali offshore and said, "Today, we have just signed our agreement in 3 blocks in Somalia. Our General Manager of Turkish Petroleum signed this agreement on behalf of Turkey. In this way, Turkey will have the exclusive right to search and produce when we find oil in these blocks, each of which represents an area of 5 thousand square kilometers. We have signed a production sharing agreement."
ORUÇ REIS WILL GO TO SOMALI WATERS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER Bayraktar provided the following information about the agreement: "Two of these blocks we mentioned are approximately 50 kilometers offshore, and the other one is 100 kilometers offshore, 3 fields. In the first stage, we will conduct 3D seismic activities in these fields. For this purpose, we are sending our Oruç Reis vessel to this region at the end of September, beginning of October. They will carry out a very important seismic study there that will last for months, and we hope that this study will result in a discovery through drilling and, after drilling, as well."
Bayraktar emphasized that this will be a historic step for both countries, saying, "The depth of the sea in these designated 3 blocks is approximately 2 thousand meters, sometimes 3 thousand meters, and after the sea floor, we will carry out a drilling activity in a place that is 4 thousand meters deep, a total of 7 kilometers from the sea surface."
TURKISH WARSHIPS WILL ALSO BE IN THE REGION Bayraktar stated that serious experience is required to carry out such a complex operation and said, "With the developments we have put forward within the framework of the strategy we have implemented since 2016, we are currently capable of carrying out these activities with our own engineers and technical equipment. We will carry out these activities in Somalia, in these blocks. Oruç Reis will depart for Somalia with a team of approximately 50 people, but not only Oruç Reis, 5 support vessels will also accompany it during this operation. It would be correct to say that our Naval Forces will also participate in this operation, in addition to our ships."
"WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES" Somali Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Abdirizak Omar Mohamed, evaluated the agreement, saying, "A new day for both countries. It will be beneficial for both countries when production starts. It will also contribute to the relations between the two countries." Mohamed expressed his great satisfaction with Turkey's determination to start seismic exploration in 3 blocks and said, "This will be followed by an exploration drilling to be carried out in the beginning of next year." The agreement was signed by Ahmet Türkoğlu, the General Manager of TPAO, and Abdulkadir Aden Mohamud, the CEO of the Somali Petroleum Authority.