Turkey announced on Wednesday that it had laid two streamer cables on the Eastern Mediterranean Sea bed as part of its ongoing hydrocarbon exploration activities.
“A TOTAL 1,750 KILOMETERS OF SEISMIC CABLE WAS LAID”
“By Aug. 23, a total 1,750 kilometers of streamer was laid under the Mediterranean Sea for two-dimensional seismic exploration,” Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said on Twitter.
Turkey’s seismic research vessel, the MTA Oruc Reis was “x-raying the seas.”
As part of the country’s hydrocarbon surveying activities, Turkey released a NAVTEX (navigational telex) on Aug. 10, 2020, announcing that the Oruc Reis would begin conducting fresh seismic research in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey’s seismic research vessel starts duty in Mediterranean WATCH
Turkey has long contested the Greek Cypriot administration’s unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) also has rights to the resources in the area.
The area of operation authorized by Turkey includes parts of Greece’s so-called maritime jurisdiction where Athens wants adjacent EEZs with the Greek Cypriot administration.