Türkiye is set to begin its first deep-sea drilling operation abroad, marking a new phase in its energy strategy, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said.
The project centers on the Curad-1 well located about 372 kilometers off Mogadishu, Somalia’s capital.
The site was selected after seismic surveys conducted by the Oruç Reis vessel identified a promising geological structure in Somali waters.
Drilling will be carried out by the Çağrı Bey drillship at a water depth of around 3,495 meters. The well is planned to reach approximately 4,005 meters below the seabed, bringing the total depth to about 7,500 meters.
According to the Turkish Energy Ministry, this would make Curad-1 the world’s second-deepest offshore well.
“A new chapter has opened in Turkish energy history and petroleum exploration,” Bayraktar said in Mogadishu.
The operation is expected to last 288 days, with weather conditions likely to remain a key factor.
The campaign will be supported by auxiliary vessels handling logistics and offshore operations. Turkish naval assets will provide security during the mission.
The Somalia initiative builds on Türkiye’s broader push to expand its energy exploration capacity using its own fleet.
Officials say Türkiye now has the world’s fourth-largest deep-sea drilling fleet. Gas production from the Sakarya field in the Black Sea is already supplying around 4 million households.
Bayraktar said the Somalia campaign could strengthen ties between Türkiye and Somalia and contribute to regional energy development. He added that any potential discovery would become clearer in the coming months.