Türkiye set to conduct seismic survey for gas pipeline to Turkish Cyprus

ISTANBUL

Türkiye will conduct seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean until the end of August, as part of a natural gas pipeline project linking the country with Turkish Cyprus, with authorities issuing a NAVTEX notice on July 22.

The operations will be carried out by Türkiye’s seismic research vessel, Oruç Reis, and are expected to run until August 30, according to the NAVTEX declaration.

The vessel was also deployed last year for Türkiye’s offshore drilling activities in Somalia. Prior to commencing the survey operations, Oruç Reis docked at the Taşucu Port in the southern province of Mersin on July 19 for final preparations.

The planned pipeline will stretch 101 kilometers, with 97 kilometers running underwater and the remaining 4 kilometers on land.

It will connect Anamur in Türkiye’s Mersin province with Teknecik, east of Kyrenia, in Turkish Cyprus, and will be designed to allow gas to flow in both directions.

The pipeline is expected to become operational in 2028, while construction-related works have already begun.

Türkiye and Turkish Cyprus signed the memorandum of understanding on July 10 to launch the natural gas pipeline project, marking a significant step toward strengthening the Turkish Cypriot administration’s long-term energy security.

Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar previously said the project could eventually enable natural gas produced on the island to be transported to Türkiye and, from there, to European markets.

Speaking at a joint press conference before the signing ceremony, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel described the project as a historic turning point for the Turkish Cypriot administration’s energy future.

“This memorandum of understanding is the first step in a strategic vision that will shape the next 100 years of Turkish Cyprus,” Üstel said.

The announcement also revives memories of heightened tensions in the eastern Mediterranean, where competing NAVTEX notices issued by Türkiye and Greece throughout 2020 fueled a standoff over maritime jurisdiction.

After Greece issued a NAVTEX for an area east of Crete, Türkiye responded with a counter-NAVTEX, arguing that the designated zone overlapped with its continental shelf claims.

Ankara subsequently released additional NAVTEX notices to facilitate seismic surveys by the Oruç Reis, further escalating tensions between the two NATO allies.

A NAVTEX is an international maritime notice alerting mariners to activities such as military drills, seismic surveys and drilling operations that may affect navigation in a specified area.