Turkey says Somalia offshore drilling could yield oil within 9 months

MOGADISHU, Nov 17 — Turkey said on Saturday that its offshore drilling campaign off Somalia could begin yielding oil within six to nine months, after Ankara launched its first deep-sea energy project beyond its own waters.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar called the start of drilling a “historic” moment in Turkey-Somalia ties, saying it opens a new chapter in efforts to tap Somalia’s offshore energy resources.

At a ceremony in Mogadishu on Friday to receive the Çağrı Bey ship, Bayraktar said the project came after seven months of seismic work by the Oruç Reis vessel, which gathered 3D data across roughly 4,500 kilometres of Somali waters. He said the findings pointed to encouraging geological structures and made the move to drilling possible.

Turkey has now commenced its first exploratory well, Curad-1, about 370 km off the Somali capital. Officials said the well could go as deep as 7,500 metres, which would place it among the world’s deepest offshore wells.

Bayraktar said the Çağrı Bey drilling vessel would carry out the operation, describing it as Turkey’s first deep-water drilling venture abroad and a sign of Ankara’s arrival on the wider offshore exploration stage.

He said the project would involve about 500 personnel and was expected to last six to nine months, depending on sea conditions and the weather.

The minister said he was hopeful the effort would deliver commercially important results, adding that any oil discovery would support Somalia’s economy and contribute to greater stability in the region.

Turkey has deepened its diplomatic and economic engagement in Somalia in recent years, emerging as one of Mogadishu’s most important partners in security, infrastructure and energy.

AXADLETM