Oruç Reis vessel to be sent off to Somalia

According to a statement from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, President and AKP Chairman Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will send off the Oruç Reis vessel, which will pass through the Bosphorus on Saturday, to Somalia. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar will also attend the farewell ceremony.

Oruç Reis will reach the waters off Somalia via the Mediterranean, Suez Canal, and Red Sea route. The vessel, which is planned to be off the coast of Somalia towards the end of October, will conduct seismic studies for oil and natural gas in 3 licensed maritime jurisdiction areas. During its mission, the vessel will be accompanied by two frigates from the navy, as well as the Zağanos Paşa Support Vessel, the Sancar Platform Support Vessel, and the Ataman Tracking Vessel.

Oruç Reis will conduct three-dimensional seismic studies for the first time specifically for these 3 licensed areas off the coast of Somalia. During the operations, which are expected to last approximately 7 months, Oruç Reis will collect data for both natural gas and oil. The collected data will be analyzed in Ankara, and drilling operations will begin at locations determined based on the results.

In the statement, Minister Bayraktar noted that the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) holds exploration licenses for a 15,000-square-kilometer maritime jurisdiction area in Somalia, stating, "In this context, the first step of exploration is seismic activity. Together with our President, we will send off Oruç Reis to Somalia to conduct seismic studies. Oruç Reis will perform 3D seismic work that has never been done before in the designated maritime jurisdiction area. We anticipate that the area where Oruç Reis will operate is a region with oil prospects."

VESSEL SPECIFICATIONS

Built in shipyards in Turkey, Oruç Reis was launched and began operations in 2017 as a result of the efforts of Turkish engineers, technicians, and workers in all stages from design to production. Specially designed for geophysical, geological, oceanographic, and hydrographic studies, the vessel is 87 meters long, 23 meters wide, and 34 meters high.

Equipped with 4x2,520 kW diesel-electric engine power, Oruç Reis can perform two- and three-dimensional seismic research in underwater oil and natural gas exploration activities. Having conducted numerous seismic activities in the seas to date, Oruç Reis has collected data in a total area of 23,000 square kilometers, including both three-dimensional and two-dimensional studies.

This year, Turkey and Somalia signed memoranda of understanding between ministries and governments. Within the framework of these agreements, the national oil company, Turkish Petroleum, received licenses for 3 fields in Somali waters. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources plans to first conduct seismic activities in the 3 licensed areas, each representing an area of approximately 5,000 square kilometers.