Turkey says may begin oil exploration under Libya deal in three-four months
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Turkey may begin oil exploration in the eastern Mediterranean within three or four months under a deal it signed with Libya that was condemned by others in the region including Greece, Energy Minister Fatih Donmez announced.
Libya’s internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) signed the maritime delimitation deal last year. Turkey says it creates an exclusive economic zone from its southern coast to Libya’s northeast coast, and protects rights to resources.
Greece, Cyprus and others oppose the accord and call it illegal, an accusation Ankara has rejected. The European Union also opposes the maritime deal that was signed alongside an agreement for Turkey to provide military support to the GNA, which has battled forces based in eastern Libya for more than a year.
Speaking at a ceremony to mark the launch of Turkey’s Fatih oil-and-gas drilling ship to the Black Sea, Donmez said Turkish Petroleum (TPAO), which had applied for an exploration permit in the eastern Mediterranean, would begin operations in areas under its license after the process was completed.
Turkish Petroleum (TPAO) applied the general directorate of mining and oil to carry out oil exploration in its licensed area according to the agreement reached with Libya,” he said in a ceremony that marked the sailing off of the drilling ship Fatih that launched the country’s first deep-sea drilling operations in the Black Sea.
He said “We will start our activities there in 3-4 months.”
Donmez also said Turkey’s first drillship Fatih will start the first drilling in the Tuna-1 location on June 15 as the vessel embarks on a trip to the Black Sea.
Turkey, as a guarantor nation for the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC), currently carries out hydrocarbon exploration activities in the Eastern Mediterranean with its drilling vessel Yavuz along with two other seismic vessels, Oruc Reis and Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa, that are also operating in the region.
Turkey’s third drillship, Kanuni, arrived in Tasucu, Mersin, a coastal city in the Mediterranean region of the country on March 15.
Following the completion of renewal and upgrade studies, Kanuni is also projected to start operations in Mediterranean Sea this year, according to Donmez.
The country plans to conduct five drills in the Eastern Mediterranean this year, according to Turkey’s Annual Presidential Program for 2020.
