Turkey shifts an aggressive period towards exploring and drilling offshore oil and gas with new vessels, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak said Friday.
'MTA Oruc Reis, Turkey's second exploration vessel will actively conduct 2-D and 3-D seismic exploration, together with Turkey's first seismic exploration vessel Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa' Albayrak told Anadolu Agency after his visit to the shipyard where MTA Oruc Reis is preparing to launch soon.
Total length of MTA Oruc Reis is 86 meters and it can analyze sea bottom until 20 thousand meters. The vessel equipped with devices to analyse sea gravity and to do high resolution shallow seismic.
MTA Oruc Reis will perform in Mediterranean and following its launch Turkey will add a drilling vessel to its portfolio in a short while, Albayrak said.
According to Albayrak, the new drilling ship will be a domestically produced vessel and it will drill coordinated with Turkey strategies in Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa explored oil and natural gas resources two years ago off the coast of the Cyprus Island, but its activities were interrupted in March 2015 when tensions rose between the Greek Cypriot administration and the Turkish Cypriot government over ownership of the resources.
Albayrak told that he will personally follow the exploration and drilling activities to show his support.
Reporting by Nuran Erkul
Writing by Muhsin Baris Tiryakioglu
Anadolu Agency
muhsin.tiryakioglu@aa.com.tr