A Turkish deep-sea drilling vessel has arrived in Somalia for a “historic mission,” marking the start of Ankara’s first overseas deep-sea drilling operation, the Turkish energy and natural resources minister has announced.
“The Cagri Bey (ship) has arrived in Somalia for its historic mission,” Alparslan Bayraktar said on Friday at a ceremony in Mogadishu.
He said that the operation would open up “a brand-new chapter in the energy history of both Türkiye and Somalia.”
“We ask for God’s grace for our first overseas deep-sea drilling operation that goes beyond our borders,” Bayraktar added.
According to Türkiye’s Energy Ministry, the Cagri Bey is set to drill at the Curad-1 well off Somalia and is expected to operate at a depth of 7,500 meters (over 24,600 feet) over a period of 288 days.
Somalia said it was an historic day.
"Today is a historic day for Somalia to welcome the Turkish ship to drill the oil. It is also a new hope and positive step to make use of the fuel," Somalia's Mineral Resources Minister Dahir Shire Mohamed said.
The drillship's operations are expected to last around 10 months.
