Drilling rig collapses in Gabar oil site

ŞIRNAK

A drilling rig collapsed at an oil extraction site in the southeastern province of Şırnak, with crews pulling two workers from the wreckage.

The accident struck at the drilling site in the Mount Gabar area on July 21 morning as rig tower overturned for an as yet unknown reason.

Three workers were trapped under the debris, while one of the two workers pulled out remains in serious condition,

"Two of the injured workers who were trapped under the rubble of the drilling site were rescued and one of them was taken to hospital by helicopter," said Governor Cevdet Atay on X after visiting the accident site.

"Efforts are ongoing to rescue the last worker who is still trapped in the rubble."

The Turkish Petroleum Corporation began drilling oil in 2022 in the region.

Oil production from the 41 wells at the Gabar field in the country’s southeast has risen to 45,000 barrels a day, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar earlier said, adding that the target is to increase production at this field to 100,000 barrels a day from 95 wells.