Oil & Gas
A second Turkish vessel has started drilling for natural gas off Cyprus’ Karpas peninsula.
Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez said this on Wednesday in the northern Cypriot city of Famagusta.
The move comes in spite of European Union (EU) sanctions imposed on Turkey in July over the drilling, which has not been approved by Cyprus and is regarded by the 28-nation bloc as illegal.
Ankara insists its activities are legitimate under international law.
The Yavuz had already reached a depth of 710 metres, Donmez said.
It was not immediately clear when exactly drilling started. Turkey sent the ship to the area in June with plans to drill for a period of three months.
“We hope to reach gas (reserves) here once we hit the targeted depth,” Donmez said in remarks carried by state news agency Anadolu.
It added that research and drilling would continue “until the very end.”
Yavuz is the second ship after Fatih to embark on exploration activities in waters around Cyprus.
A third ship, Barbaros Hayreddin Pasa, was there for research and a fourth research vessel, MTA Oruc Reis, is expected to join in August, Donmez said.
Yavuz is accompanied by a Turkish frigate and an assault boat and has 140 personnel working aboard.
Cyprus has not approved the drilling and the EU in July approved punitive measures against Turkey, including cutting financial aid and restricting loans.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 into a predominantly Greek south and a Turkish north, whose sovereignty is recognised only by Ankara.
Cyprus, which is not recognised by Ankara, has been an EU member since 2004.
Experts believe there are around 227 billion cubic metres of natural gas deposits below the sea off Cyprus.
Tags: Turkey expands controversial natural gas exploration off Cyprus
