Turkish Petroleum has moved one of its two drillships, the Yavuz, onto Block 7 off southern Cyprus, where the Cypriot government last month authorized drilling by a combine of Eni SPA and Total SA.
Turkey claims the block and much of Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone.
This year’s drilling by the Yavuz of the Karpaz-1 well off eastern Cyprus and by the Fatih drillship of the Finike-1 well off western Cyprus has been condemned by the European Union and US Department of State (OGJ Online, June 20, 2019).
The Fatih remains at the Finike-1 location. Turkish press reports said the Yavuz had returned to the Eastern Mediterranean, apparently having spent time in port after drilling the Karpaz-1. Results haven’t been reported.
Fatih Donmez, Turkey’s minister of energy and natural resources, said Oct. 5 that the Yavuz had arrived at the location of a well designated Guzelyurt-1 and would begin drilling soon.
The drilling raises tension by occurring on a Cypriot block where drilling has been authorized. The Turkish foreign ministry objected to the Eni-Total drilling permit.
Other wells are planned off Cyprus in the next 2 years by Eni-Total, the Noble Energy group, and a combine of ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum.
Companies have made several gas discoveries off Cyprus on trend with deepwater Leviathan and other fields off Israel. Leviathan is due on stream by yearend near producing Tamar field.
US Sec. of State Mike Pompeo said the new Turkish drilling violates international law and European Union positions. It is “certainly in undermining any possible effort whatsoever with a view to consolidating peace and cooperation in the region.”
He spoke to reporters while in Greece, which has been locked in conflict with Turkey over Cyprus since 1974.
A European Union statement said Federica Mogherini, EU high representative and vice-president, and Nikos Christodoulides, the Cypriot foreign minister, “deplored Turkey’s further drilling activities 45 nm off the southern coast of Cyprus” in a telephone discussion about the development.
“Turkey’s actions come at a moment when intensified efforts are ongoing for the resumption of Cyprus settlement talks under the auspices of the United Nations secretary general,” the officials said.
The progovernment Daily Sabah newspaper in Istanbul said, “The return of the drillship Yavuz to Eastern Mediterranean is a strong indication of Turkey’s commitment to protect its rights and interests in the region without allowing the usurpation of sovereign rights of Turkish people and Turkish Cypriots in its own continental shelf.”