Africa-Press. Turkey sent the drilling vessel “Çagri Bey” to Somalia on Sunday, marking Ankara’s first offshore exploration mission outside its own maritime zone, according to the energy minister.
Alparslan Bayraktar described the move as a “historic moment” in Turkey’s efforts to explore oil and gas, saying the ship will begin drilling in April at the “Korad-1” well off Somalia’s coast.
Speaking at a ceremony held at Taşucu port in the southern province of Mersin, Bayraktar said: “For the first time, our drilling ship is setting out on a mission outside our maritime zone.”
He added that the “Çagri Bey,” which recently joined Turkey’s drilling fleet, is expected to reach Somalia in about 45 days and will be escorted by three Turkish navy warships.
Bayraktar said Turkey aims to produce 500,000 barrels per day of oil, or the equivalent in hydrocarbons, by 2028, adding that Ankara expects to double that amount through discoveries and overseas production-sharing agreements.
