Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said that Turkey has moved to a new stage in offshore energy exploration.
This came in a post on the “X” platform on Saturday after the Turkish ship “Oruç Reis” left Istanbul heading to Somalia to explore for energy.
Bayraktar added that Turkey is witnessing a “historic moment” today with the “Oruç Reis” heading to explore off the coast of another country.
He continued: We have entered the international arena thanks to the expertise and experience we have gained and our strong infrastructure.
Bayraktar stressed that these steps are part of Turkey’s “firm efforts and steps to achieve complete independence in the field of energy by diversifying our resources.”
Earlier on Saturday, the Oruc Reis passed through Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait heading to Somalia to explore for energy under a memorandum of understanding signed between Ankara and Mogadishu in March to explore, evaluate, develop and produce oil in Somalia’s onshore and offshore areas, where President Erdogan was waiting for it as it passed by Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul to greet its staff.
The Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, attended the greeting ceremony, accompanied by Erdogan.
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In a post on his account on the X platform, President Erdogan said that the ship “Oruç Reis” has been providing important services to Turkey since 2017.
He added that the ship is now heading to carry out seismic survey activities (for oil) in 3 licensed areas in Somalia, each of which represents an area of 5 thousand square kilometers.
He pointed out that the Somalia region has been known for decades for conflicts, unrest and hunger, but after the discoveries that “Oruç Reis” will make, it will be known for economic development, prosperity and peace.
Erdogan continued: “I believe that we will receive good news, God willing, from the seismic survey activities that we will carry out off the coast of Somalia.”
The ship is scheduled to follow the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal and the Red Sea and reach its destination in late October.
The Oruç Reis will be accompanied during its mission, which is expected to last 7 months, by the support and backup ships “Zaganos Pasha” and “Sinjar” and the tracking ship “Ataman”, in addition to two frigates of the Turkish Navy.
The seismic research data that the Oruç Reis will collect off the coast of Somalia will be stored in the data processing directorate of the Turkish Petroleum Company “TPAO” in the capital Ankara.
If positive data and indicators are obtained, the energy exploration process will begin in the region.
