Oruc Reis seismic research vessel ready for Somalia mission
Turkey's Oruc Reis Research Ship, developed with domestic and national facilities, has completed its preparations for the Somalia mission. (AA Photo)
The Turkish-built and locally engineered Oruc Reis Research Vessel has completed preparations for its upcoming mission in Somalia, following the “Memorandum of Understanding on Onshore and Offshore Block Areas” signed between Türkiye’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and Somalia’s Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources in March.
Final checks at Filyos Port
Final inspections of the Oruc Reis vessel were conducted at Filyos Port before its departure. The ship will carry out seismic data collection over three license areas, each spanning approximately 5,000 square kilometers off the coast of Somalia.
This mission is expected to last around seven months.
Extensive team for the mission
The Oruc Reis will be accompanied by several support vessels, including the Zaganos Pasa Support Vessel, Sancar Platform Support Vessel, and the Ataman Tracking Vessel. Additionally, two frigates from Turkish Naval Forces will assist in the mission.
Seismic data collected will be processed and evaluated by the Turkish Petroleum Corporation’s (TPAO) Data Processing Directorate in Ankara.
If the assessments are favorable, the project will advance to the drilling phase. Following the completion of its operations, the vessel will return to Türkiye as instructed.
Departure from Istanbul
The Oruc Reis is set to depart from Filyos Port to Istanbul later today and will be officially sent off to Somalia tomorrow from Istanbul.
Vessel specifications
Designed for geophysical, geological, oceanographic, and hydrographic research, the Oruc Reis is 87 meters long, 23 meters wide, and 34 meters high. It is a versatile vessel capable of conducting research in natural resource exploration, continental shelf and crust studies, as well as geological research in marine environments, such as studying earthquakes, tsunamis, and climate change effects.
The vessel is manned entirely by Turkish personnel, with ongoing training programs aimed at ensuring that the seismic and survey departments are also staffed exclusively with Turkish specialists.
Since 2017, the Oruc Reis has conducted over 23,000 square kilometers of two-dimensional and three-dimensional seismic research in the Mediterranean and Marmara regions under the jurisdiction of the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA), and since 2022, under TPAO in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, especially in the Sakarya Gas Field.
