Somali Petroleum Authority Director General Adan announced that Türkiye’s deepwater drilling operation off the Somali coast is progressing rapidly, ahead of the scheduled timeline.
Adan said the drilling had reached a depth of approximately 3,000 meters so far and that the operation could be completed at the end of September instead of October if the current pace is maintained.
Drilling continues at the Curad-1 well
Türkiye’s seventh-generation ultra-deepwater drilling ship Cagri Bey is continuing oil and natural gas exploration activities at the Curad-1 well off the Somali coast.
At the well, located approximately 370 kilometers offshore from Mogadishu, the drilling target is approximately 4,000 meters below the seabed, reaching a total depth of 7,500 meters from sea level.
The operation is Türkiye’s first deepwater exploration drilling project outside its own territorial waters.
Between 470 and 480 personnel are working on the operation
Adan said between 470 and 480 personnel were working aboard the drilling and support vessels. Turkish citizens make up approximately 20 percent of the crew, while the remainder consists of personnel from other countries.
No accidents or technical difficulties have occurred during the operation so far, which is continuing in line with established safety and technical standards.
Regular safety checks are carried out on the vessels every day, while well pressure and subsurface temperature are monitored continuously.
Support vessels accompany the fleet
The support vessels Altan, Korkut and Sancar are accompanying Cagri Bey throughout the operation. Naval units affiliated with the Turkish Navy are also contributing to the fleet’s security.
The support vessels are responsible for fuel and material supplies, personnel transfers and positioning operations.
Work began under agreements between the two countries
Türkiye and Somalia signed an intergovernmental agreement and memorandum of understanding on March 7, 2024, to develop cooperation in the oil and natural gas sector. The two countries also signed a production-sharing agreement in July 2024 covering three blocks in Somali waters.
As part of the agreement, the Oruç Reis Seismic Research Vessel sent to Somalia collected three-dimensional seismic data across a total area of 4,464 square kilometers in three separate offshore blocks.
After approximately seven months of research, the data was assessed and a decision was made to drill at the Curad-1 well, where promising geological structures had been identified.
Cagri Bey’s drilling capacity
Built in South Korea in 2024, Cagri Bey is 228 meters long and has the capacity to drill to depths of up to 12,000 meters. The vessel, which has a helipad and living quarters for approximately 200 people, is one of Türkiye’s deepwater drilling ships.
If the Curad-1 operation produces positive results, it is expected to identify Somalia’s offshore energy resources and move energy cooperation between the two countries into the production phase.
