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A Turkish drilling ship has docked in Mogadishu ahead of Somalia's first offshore drilling project, with Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar saying a new era has begun in Somalia's energy sector with the Curad-1 well, located 372 kilometers off the Somali capital.
Bayraktar spoke at a welcoming ceremony held for the Cagri Bey deep-sea drilling ship, describing the vessel's arrival as a historic step in energy cooperation between Türkiye and Somalia.
The development comes after a 2024 hydrocarbon agreement granting Türkiye's state-owned energy company the right to explore three offshore blocks, and after months of seismic work carried out by the Oruc Reis vessel.
The Turkish drilling ship Cagri Bey arrived in Somali waters on Thursday and docked at Mogadishu port on Friday, according to earlier announcements by Somali and Turkish officials.
The vessel, described as having a red bow emblazoned with a white star and crescent and topped by a drilling derrick, arrived ahead of what Somali state news agency SONNA said would be Somalia's first-ever offshore drilling operations.
At the port ceremony, Bayraktar said the ship's arrival marked an exceptional moment in which the joint will of the two countries had turned into a concrete result.
He began his remarks by conveying the greetings of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and said the Turkish president especially emphasized that preserving Somalia's unity and territorial integrity under all circumstances remains a priority for Türkiye.
Bayraktar said the first drilling well in Somalia has been named Curad-1, saying the name carries a special meaning because "Curad" means the first newborn baby in Somalia.
He said Somalia's energy history would open a new page with Curad-1, the first well to be drilled 372 kilometers from Mogadishu.
According to Bayraktar, the operation to be carried out by the Cagri Bey is of critical importance for the regional economy and energy supply security.
He said Türkiye would mobilize its deep-sea drilling experience to help bring Somalia's resources to the surface.
Bayraktar said the energy journey in the region had advanced in stages and referred to the activities of the Oruc Reis seismic research vessel, which arrived in Mogadishu in October 2024.
He said the Oruc Reis worked continuously for seven months off Somalia's coast and collected 3D seismic data across three separate blocks covering a total of 4,464 square kilometers.
Bayraktar said experts carefully evaluated the data and observed a highly promising geological structure in the area.
He said Türkiye was now moving with pride to the drilling phase in light of that data.
Earlier reports said another Turkish vessel had carried out seismic surveys in late 2024 in three offshore blocks to identify drilling sites.
Bayraktar said the step marked the beginning of a new era in Turkish oil and natural gas exploration and that Cagri Bey would carry out Türkiye's first deep-sea drilling operation outside its borders in Somalia.
He said the ship was sent off from Mersin Tasucu Port on Feb. 15 together with Somali ministers.
According to Bayraktar, because of its 114-meter tower height, the vessel first crossed the Mediterranean from one end to the other, then sailed around the African continent from top to bottom, before anchoring off Mogadishu after a 53-day voyage.
He had earlier said on X that the operation would open a new chapter in Turkish energy history and described the mission as historic.
Bayraktar said the Curad-1 well area lies around 370 kilometers offshore and has a water depth of approximately 3,500 meters.
From the seabed, he said, drilling of about 4,000 meters is planned, bringing the total depth to 7,500 meters.
He said Curad-1 would become the world's second-deepest offshore drilling operation at that depth.
Bayraktar said the ships Altan, Korkut and Sancar would accompany Cagri Bey during the mission.
He said the support vessels would take part in material and fuel supply, personnel transfer, anchoring and positioning operations.
According to Bayraktar, a total of 500 personnel, both on ships and on land, will work on the Somalia mission on a rotating basis in six-week shifts.
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Bayraktar said a challenging task awaits the fleet, especially as it will have to contend with sea conditions and rainfall during the monsoon season.
He said that if climate and weather conditions remain suitable, the drilling operation is expected to last between six and nine months.
He added that Turkish naval assets consisting of TCG Sancaktar, TCG Gokova and TCG Bafra will protect the energy fleet in Somalia's offshore waters.
Bayraktar also thanked the National Defense Ministry, the General Staff and the Naval Forces Command for their support.
The offshore drilling project follows a hydrocarbon development agreement signed in 2024 between the two countries.
Under that deal, Türkiye's state-owned energy company received the right to explore three offshore blocks, each measuring around 5,000 square kilometers, or about 1,900 square miles.
The current drilling stage follows the earlier seismic work carried out under that agreement.
Bayraktar said Türkiye's Africa Opening launched in 2005 fundamentally changed diplomatic, commercial and humanitarian relations with the continent.
He said President Erdogan's visit to Mogadishu in 2011 was a turning point, specifically for Somalia.
Bayraktar noted that standing in solidarity with Somalia during its crisis successfully drew global attention to the nation.
He noted that relations built on mutual trust and a win-win approach have gained significant momentum since 2011, with cooperation expanding across sectors like trade, defense, and energy.
Bayraktar said the process that began with Oruc Reis and continues with Cagri Bey represents a new stage both in Türkiye-Somalia relations and in Turkish oil and natural gas exploration.
Bayraktar said Türkiye has now joined the ranks of countries that conduct deep-sea drilling outside their borders.
He said a new page had been opened in Turkish energy history and in oil exploration.
According to Bayraktar, the Somalia mission will elevate and strengthen Türkiye's technical and operational capacity in overseas exploration and production activities to a different level.
He said it would also make Türkiye more visible internationally and open the door to new opportunities.
Bayraktar said he believes the project will contribute not only to Somalia but also to regional stability and security.
He also expressed hope that in a few months, good news and a discovery announcement could be shared with both the Somali people and the Turkish nation.
Bayraktar was expected to attend the ceremony at Mogadishu port alongside Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, according to SONNA.
Türkiye remains one of Somalia's main military and economic partners, and Ankara inaugurated its largest overseas base in Mogadishu in 2017.
The arrival of Cagri Bey and the launch of the Curad-1 phase now place energy cooperation between the two countries into the drilling stage following the seismic surveys carried out by Oruc Reis.
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