Somalia on verge of oil production as Turkish drilling ship nears docking

Excitement is building up across Somalia as the country prepares to welcome the Turkish drilling ship Cagri Bey, expected to arrive in Mogadishu from April 9, marking a milestone in Somalia’s oil and gas exploration efforts.

Speaking exclusively to TRT Afrika, Somalia’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Dahir Shire Mohamed, described the moment as historic.

“This is something that, as Somali people, we have been yearning for a very long time,” he said.

“I am proud to share this joy with the Somali people.”

'New chapter'

The petroleum minister emphasised that the ship’s arrival opens a new chapter that could bring sustained economic transformation. He added that Somalia will organise national celebrations to mark the vessel's docking in Mogadishu.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud will preside over the ceremony.

Senior Somali government officials are expected to attend, alongside a Turkish delegation, led by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.

Residents of Mogadishu have been closely following the vessel’s journey.

Long sail

“They (Mogadishu residents) are waiting with open hearts and great optimism, having long dreamed of this becoming a reality,” the Petroleum Minister Dahir Shire Mohamed said.

The vessel’s voyage to Somalia, which began on February 15, has taken long due to technical constraints.

Speaking during a send-off ceremony at Taşucu Port in Mersin, Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar explained that the height of Cagri Bey’s drilling tower prevents it from passing through the Suez Canal.

As a result, the ship embarked on a significantly longer route, avoiding some of the region’s most sensitive maritime corridors.

Tracking the vessel

After Departing southern Türkiye, the seventh-generation ultra-deepwater drillship sailed across the Mediterranean toward the Strait of Gibraltar.

It then entered the Atlantic Ocean, travelling south along the west coast of Africa before rounding the Cape of Good Hope.

From there, it proceeded northeast through the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, en route to Mogadishu.

The roughly 45-day journey marks Türkiye’s first deep-sea drilling mission abroad.

Türkiye optimistic about mission

The vessel is expected to begin operations at the Curad-1 well site, located approximately 370 kilometres off the Somali coast, with drilling scheduled for later April.

Before departure, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed the crew by phone, expressing optimism about the mission.

“We are expecting good news from Somalia, insha’Allah,” President Erdogan said, wishing the crew success on their journey.

Bayraktar described the deployment as a “historic moment” for Türkiye’s expanding oil and gas exploration efforts.

Informed by extensive exploration

Türkiye’s offshore drilling plans in Somalia stem from energy cooperation agreements signed in 2024, covering both onshore and offshore exploration.

Following these agreements, the Turkish seismic research vessel Oruç Reis conducted extensive surveys across approximately 4,465 square kilometres in three offshore blocks.

The data collected from these studies informed the decision to drill the Curad-1 well, which is expected to reach a depth of around 7,500 metres.

Completed in South Korea in 2024, the drillship is part of Türkiye’s growing energy fleet and is capable of drilling up to 12,000 metres in deep waters.

Economic transformation

The vessel measures 228 metres in length and can accommodate up to 200 personnel.

The Somali government views the exploration project as a cornerstone of its economic strategy.

According to Shire, the impact of drilling results could be felt soon, particularly in boosting the country’s economy.

“Oil exploration is aimed at economic transformation, and once drilling delivers results, the first impact will be economic,” he said.

Renewed hope

For decades, Somalia’s oil and gas potential remained largely untapped due to civil conflict, leading to public scepticism about the sector’s viability.

However, government officials say that sentiment is now shifting, especially after Somalia entered into an economic partnership with Türkiye.

Many Somalis see the docking of Cagri Bey as a symbol of renewed hope.