Türkiye sends drilling vessel to Somalia for historic offshore energy mission

MERSIN, Turkey — Türkiye’s new drilling vessel, the Cagri Bey, departed from Mersin Port on Sunday bound for the Somali coast to begin its first international deepwater energy assignment.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced the deployment as part of Ankara’s strategy to achieve energy independence through expanded oil and natural gas exploration. Drilling operations in Somali waters are expected to begin between April and May 2026.

The Turkish Naval Forces Command protects the mission and follows a successful 3D seismic survey conducted last year by the research vessel Oruc Reis, which covered 4,465 square kilometers.

Under the 2024 production-sharing agreement, Türkiye will receive up to 90% of the initial revenue to recover exploration and operational costs.

Officials estimate Somalia's offshore blocks could hold between 30 billion and 40 billion barrels of oil, a reserve that could transform the nation's economic landscape.