Turkey’s Yavuz vessel will carry out new oil and gas drilling in the Mediterranean on Monday or Tuesday morning, Fatih Donmez, Turkey’s energy and natural resources minister announced on Monday.
TURKEY REMAINS RESOLUTE IN ITS DEFENSE RIGHTS
Donmez spoke during the 10th Turkey Energy Summit in Antalya and said the Yavuz vessel arrived in situ on Saturday in preparation for the latest round of drilling, which is expected to start today or tomorrow. “Turkey remains resolute in its defense of the rights of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Turkish Cypriots to acquire resources around the island, the rights of which the United Nations is aware of,” he said.
“We won’t give way to energy piracy in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Donmez said, referring to the Greek Cypriot’s unilateral drilling activities off the island, adding that Turkey will rightfully take its place and conduct activities sanctioned under international law.
“We have quadrupled our current LNG capacity compared to 2016. With the commissioning of our Saros Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU) facility, we will be able to meet approximately half of the daily peak consumption from our LNG infrastructure,” he explained.