CYPRUS: Turkey to drill in East Med as energy battle looms

After warning international energy giants to stay away from Cyprus, Turkey announced on Tuesday it will start drilling in the East Mediterranean at the end of October.

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The move could coincide with US energy player ExxonMobil’s plans to begin test drilling for hydrocarbons offshore Cyprus later this year despite Turkey’s warning.

Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said drillship Fatih will conduct Turkey’s first ever exploratory drill in the Mediterranean by the end of this month.

Donmez said that their ship moved around the location last week and is now at its location, adding that that a number of studies and tests need to be done before a test drill is conducted.

He said: “Hopefully, we will add a second vessel to our fleet in the near future. In particular, I would like to express that we will protect until the end our resources deriving from international law in the Mediterranean.”

“Our seismic research vessel belonging to Turkey Petroleum will also continue its seismic work in international areas.”

Donmez said that Turkey is playing an important role in the energy security of the region with the projects TANAP and TurkStream, which is still being constructed with planned completion in 2019.

Turkey has reacted angrily to a decision by Nicosia to invite Total, ENI and ExxonMobil to bid for a new license to exploit oil and gas in block 7 of its exclusive economic zone.

In a statement last week, the Turkish Foreign Ministry advised “companies that might be interested in participating in the tender to act with common sense and to duly consider the realities on the ground”.

Turkey said it will continue to take all necessary measures to protect its rights and will not allow any third party to conduct exploratory activities for the development of hydrocarbon fields in the region.

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