Türkiye deploys drillship, navy escort for Somalia offshore oil, gas search

ANKARA

Türkiye has dispatched the deepwater drillship “Çağrı Bey” to Somalia to begin what described as the country’s first offshore drilling mission outside Turkish waters.

Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the vessel, which departed from Taşucu port in the southern province of Mersin, is expected to reach Somali waters in around 45 days and start drilling at a site identified as Curad-1 in April.

The minister said three Turkish naval vessels will escort the drillship during its transit and support operations once it reaches the area.

Bayraktar said the ship will not use the Suez Canal due to the height of its drilling tower, and will instead sail through the Strait of Gibraltar, down the Atlantic and around the Cape of Good Hope before heading to Somalia.

The drilling move follows seismic work completed by Türkiye’s Oruç Reis research vessel, which carried out a 3D survey across three offshore blocks covering 4,464 square kilometers, according to Anadolu Agency and the Energy Ministry’s earlier statements.

The Çağrı Bey is described by Turkish media as a 7th-generation ultra-deepwater drillship capable of drilling down to 12,000 meters.