Turkish vessel begins energy exploration off Somalia

Turkey's seismic research vessel Oruc Reis arrived off Somalia's coast marking the beginning of a significant oil and natural gas exploration project. The vessel, escorted by two navy frigates and support ships, reached Mogadishu after traversing the Mediterranean, Suez Canal, and Red Sea.

The mission stems from a March agreement between Turkey and Somalia for energy cooperation, under which Turkish Petroleum secured licenses for three offshore exploration areas. The vessel will conduct three-dimensional seismic studies across approximately 15,000 square kilometers of maritime territory, with each zone covering roughly 5,000 square kilometers. The exploration mission is expected to last seven months, after which the collected data will be analyzed in Ankara to identify potential drilling sites.

A welcoming ceremony at Mogadishu seaport featured Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Bare. President Mohamud emphasized the importance of good governance and unity among Somalis to benefit from such opportunities, dismissing potential threats from Al Shabaab or foreign entities.

This initiative further strengthens the growing Turkish-Somali relationship, which already includes significant Turkish investments in Somalia's infrastructure, education, and military sectors. Turkey has operated its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu since 2017 and recently signed a defense and economic cooperation agreement with Somalia in February, promising maritime security support for Somalia's territorial waters.

The comprehensive energy deal encompasses oil exploration, production, transportation, distribution, refining, and sales operations for both land and sea projects.