OR Turkeysometimes the object of mockery for its efforts in the field of hydrocarbon research, seems to be changing “track” with significant consequences for bilateral relations with Greece in terms of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
In earlier years, state oil trawlers had made openings and unsuccessful efforts to find remarkable deposits in areas such as the EEZ in the Black Sea. A lot of money had been spent on equipment and staff, but now it seems that the program is getting fruit for Turkey.
It is indicative that the large Sakaria deposit today produces 9.5 million cubic meters of gas a day, five years after its discovery.
Earlier this year, Tayyip Erdogan announced a new discovery with stocks of around $ 75 billion. In the Goktepe-3 drilling at a depth of 3,500 meters, which are capable of meeting the needs of the country for a period of 3.5 years on their own.
The goal set is to reach domestic gas production of 40 billion. per year in 2026, thus covering one third of demand.
But beyond the Black Sea, TRAO is now placed to expand its research into a wider geographical field, which affects Greece and Cyprus. This week the purchase of two new drilling vessels was announced, which will be used in Mersin and Libya. The TROO fleet now includes six such ships plus vessels that can conduct seismic surveys.
Naturally, Trao’s initiatives and investments combined with the Turkolibyy Memorandum and the Libyan verbal diagnosis that challenges the Greek EEZ are a major threat to Greek interests.
The image that Athens was cultivating until recently was that the presence of Chevron and ExxonMobil would prevent aggressive movements by Turkey and Libya in the maritime area south of Crete and the Peloponnese. Now it seems that things are more difficult than we have expected, and if our own natural gas surveys are fruitless, then they can get even worse.
Thus, attention is focused on the maximum support of the Greek hydrocarbon program, since if it succeeds, it will be the best possible response to Turkish aspirations.
The RIS really seems to run faster than in the past, as today, a few months after the announcements for Chevron, the international competition for plots south of Crete is being completed.
The government, therefore, will do its best to avoid delays, but the last reason is geology. If research drilling is actually done in the coming years, they have specific chances of success that do not exceed 15-20% each, based on international practice. For this reason, there should be a “plan B” in case no quantities are discovered.