Turkey starts seismic exploration in eastern Mediterranean

ANKARA

DHA photo

Turkey started its seismic energy exploration in eastern Mediterranean on April 21 in line with the government’s “National Energy and Mining Policy,” state-run Anadolu Agency has reported. 

The Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa, a seismic vessel that was acquired late in 2012 for $130 million, started the exploration works. The ship will be in the area until May 31, according to sources from the Energy Ministry.

Energy Minister Berat Albayrak announced early April that Turkey would conduct seismic studies for oil and gas drilling activities, noting that exploration would occur in two areas in the Black Sea and two in the Mediterranean.

“We will open two wells for each in these seas with a drilling ship on an annual basis. We plan to buy another ship over the year,” he said, adding that the new ship would later on join the Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa. 

Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa, which previously conducted seismic works in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, can collect 2-D and 3-D seismic data and examine geological structures up to eight kilometers below sea level. 

The vessel explored oil and natural gas resources in 2015 off the coast of Cyprus, but its activities were interrupted in March 2015 when tensions rose between the Greek Cypriot administration and the Turkish Cypriot government over ownership of the resources, Anadolu Agency reported in March.