Abdülhamid Han ship dispatched to Black Sea for drilling

Türkiye's seventh-generation drill ship, Abdülhamid Han, has set sails for the Black Sea to start drilling in the region.

Abdülhamid Han vessel will move to its new location in the Black Sea, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told reporters on board the vessel, which is the fourth ship in Türkiye's deep sea drilling fleet.

The vessel has already conducted three deep-sea drills in the Mediterranean Sea.

Abdülhamid Han ship first arrived in Filyos port in the northwestern province of Zonguldak to have its towers reinstalled as they were dismantled for the Istanbul Strait crossing.

Citing the largest natural gas discovery in Turkish history in the Sakarya Gas Field in 2020, Bayraktar said, "There is a very large reserve in that region… We need to increase the production of Sakarya Gas Field very quickly."

When asked about the drilling activities in the Mediterranean Sea, Bayraktar said that the Mediterranean Sea was the first location for long-term oil and natural gas exploration and offshore exploration.

He added that the activities in the Mediterranean spurred the country to expand its fleet.

Abdülhamid Han's move to the Black Sea should not be interpreted as losing hope for discovery in the Mediterranean, Bayraktar underlined. "We have never given up on [drilling activities in] the Mediterranean Sea... There are locations in the Mediterranean where we are very hopeful."

Although so far, no discoveries have been made in the region, he said, "We will continue to be active in the Mediterranean."

The minister said that Türkiye plans to conduct seismic works in 2026 in the region.

Türkiye has several ships for exploration and drilling activities in its territorial waters....