Türkiye adds 2 new deep-sea drilling vessels to expand energy fleet

Türkiye has purchased two new seventh-generation deepwater drilling vessels with identical technical specifications, as it seeks to boost hydrocarbon production and exploration efforts, Daily Sabah reported citing the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.

The statement came a day after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the number of Türkiye's drillships would increase from four to six, which will make the country the fourth in the world in terms of deep-sea energy fleet.

The newly acquired ships – each 228 meters long and 42 meters wide – have officially been transferred to the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) following the signing of a sales agreement, the ministry said in a statement.

Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the first vessel is expected to arrive in Türkiye within two months. After undergoing accreditation and certification processes, one vessel will be operational by January and the other by February next year.

"With these two high-tech, next-generation twin drilling vessels joining our fleet, we are significantly strengthening our presence in deep-sea operations," Bayraktar stated.

"We are opening new horizons in the Black Sea and beyond. With these additions, Türkiye secures its place among the world's top four most modern energy fleets."

The new ships, capable of drilling up to 12,000 meters in deepwater, are equipped with helicopter landing pads and living quarters for 200 personnel. Built last year in South Korea, they are classified as high-capacity seventh-generation vessels.

Following the completion of major maintenance, the ships are expected to operate continuously until 2029.

The vessels will complement Türkiye's existing deep-sea drilling fleet, which currently includes Fatih, Yavuz, Kanuni, and Abdülhamid Han – all actively deployed at the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea.

Türkiye's broader energy fleet also includes 11 support vessels, one construction ship and one floating production platform.

On Thursday, Erdoğan recalled that Türkiye made the largest natural gas discovery in 2020 in the Black Sea.

He stressed that the country completed the first phase with a daily production of 9.5 million cubic meters from 12 wells in the Sakarya Gas Field, adding that 4 million households are using the domestic gas currently.

The field is estimated to contain 710 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas. The reserve was gradually discovered between 2020 and 2022. It will meet approximately 30% of the nation's annual gas needs once the production reaches total capacity.

In mid-May, Türkiye announced the discovery of a new reserve of 75 billion cubic meters in the Black Sea.

"We will continue to work and add new investments until we achieve our goal of a fully independent Türkiye in energy," Erdoğan said.

Türkiye, which imports over 90% of its energy needs, is pushing to cut its import bill and boost supply security by developing domestic resources and expanding international partnerships in oil and gas exploration.