Turkey buys new vessel for oil search

DUBAI - Reuters

The seismic vessel ‘Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa’ passes through Dardanelles Strait. The 84 meter-long vessel was built by Norwegian Polarcus company. DHA photo

Turkey’s state-run oil researcher TPAO has bought a seismic vessel to conduct two and three dimensional seismic surveys in Turkish seas, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yıldız announced on Jan. 30.

After seven months of talks between the two sides, the TPAO paid around $130 million to Norwegian Polarcus company for the seismic vessel, which is 84 meters long and 17 meters width, as well as a Skorsky helicopter landing strip.

The seismic vessel, which Yıldız said had proved its success in the international arena in two and three dimensional seismic surveys, will accelerate the search for oil and natural gas in the seas.

Yıldız said the vessel would conduct searches in the Black Sea and then in the Mediterranean Sea.

Energy-hungary Turkey is bidding for finding oil and gas both in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

The vessel constructed in 2011 is able to make automatic predictions of direction and position due to satellite communications.

The vessel, named “Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa,” will be introduced to the public in an upcoming ceremony organized in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş Pier.

It passed through Dardanelles Strait yesterday to arrive Istanbul.

The vessel will be painted red and white, which are the colors of Turkey’s flag, after customs and harbor registration is completed.