Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud traveled offshore on Friday to inspect Türkiye’s Çağrı Bey deepwater drilling vessel and receive an update on the country’s first offshore oil and gas exploration operation.
Mohamud reached the vessel by helicopter and toured its control room, where engineers and technical personnel briefed him on drilling progress, equipment and initial observations from the Curad-1 exploration well, the Somali presidency said.
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The Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu called the visit a landmark in the two countries’ energy partnership, saying the operation underscored their shared commitment to Somalia’s long-term development.
“This landmark mission represents a significant milestone in Türkiye-Somalia energy cooperation,” the embassy said, reaffirming Ankara’s support for Somalia’s security, development and institutional capacity.
The Çağrı Bey reached Somalia in April following a 53-day journey from Türkiye. It then began work at the Curad-1 well, becoming the first Turkish vessel to conduct deep-sea exploration drilling beyond Türkiye’s own waters.
According to Türkiye’s Energy Ministry, the vessel is scheduled to reach a total depth of approximately 7,500 meters over an operation expected to run for 288 days. The well is located beneath waters about 3,480 meters deep.
The campaign stems from oil and gas exploration agreements signed by Somalia and Türkiye in 2024. Prior to the Çağrı Bey’s arrival, Türkiye’s Oruç Reis seismic research vessel surveyed three offshore blocks to help identify possible drilling locations.
Somali authorities hope the exploration will establish whether the country’s offshore waters contain petroleum reserves that can be developed commercially. No commercial discovery has been reported so far.
Mohamud’s government has presented the petroleum sector as a possible engine for investment, employment and public revenue. It has also emphasized that any resources found must be managed transparently and generate benefits for the broader population.
The Somali president also toured a Turkish naval vessel accompanying the drilling operation, the presidency said.
The offshore project is among the most prominent parts of a wider Somalia-Türkiye relationship encompassing security cooperation, military training, infrastructure and development.
Türkiye’s Energy Ministry has characterized the Curad-1 campaign as a strategic step in expanding the country’s overseas exploration activities. The results will help determine whether additional drilling should proceed.
Officials have not released preliminary technical results from the operation and have yet to say whether the well contains hydrocarbons in commercially recoverable quantities.
