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Turkey threatens to stop Exxon’s drilling off Cyprus coast
Kaieteur News – Turkey has threatened to prevent ExxonMobil’s search for oil and gas off Cyprus—an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea—after that country awarded the rights to Block 5 in the island’s Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ).
A map denoting the location of the controversial oil block off the coast of Cyprus in the Mediterranean
Cyprus on Thursday awarded natural gas exploration rights for Block 5 to the ExxonMobil and Qatar Petroleum consortium, with the US giant given administrative rights as the owner of 60 percent of the consortium.
The Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry subsequently claimed that a part of the licenced area in question violates Turkey’s continental shelf in the eastern Mediterranean, just hours after the deal was announced.
The eastern Mediterranean has in recent years become an energy hotspot with big natural gas finds for Cyprus, Israel, and Egypt.
Turkey’s push to secure a share of the resources has exacerbated tensions in the region.
Ankara was accused of “gunboat diplomacy” when, in February 2018, the Turkish navy prevented an ENI-leased drillship from reaching its drilling destination in Cyprus’ Block 3.
The European Commission has urged Turkey to initiate and sustain de-escalation in the region, while vowing to defend the interests of member states Greece and Cyprus if it didn’t.
Turkey, however, does not seem to be backing down, arguing it is protecting its rights and those of Turkish Cypriots.
As Turkey argues, the self-proclaimed ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’, recognized only by Ankara, lays claim to any energy resources discovered off its coast as the island’s natural resources belong to both communities.
“Turkey will never allow any foreign country, company or ship to engage in hydrocarbon exploration activities in its maritime jurisdictions,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
Turkey accused Cyprus of escalating tensions in the eastern Mediterranean by awarding exploration and drilling rights to the venture.
Turkey “will continue to resolutely defend” its rights and the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’, the Foreign Ministry said.
ExxonMobil and its partner, Qatar Petroleum, are licenced to exploit Block 10, where natural gas was discovered at the Glafcos well.
In February 2019, the consortium discovered a huge natural gas reserve off the coast of Cyprus in block 10, the island’s largest find to date, holding an estimated five to eight trillion cubic feet of gas.
Block 10 is 2,572 square kilometres, with ExxonMobil again holding 60% interest, and Qatar Petroleum owning the other 40%.
The consortium plans on drilling an appraisal well in Block 10 in December, with results expected by the end of February.
The discovery of nearby Egypt’s huge Zohr offshore reservoir in 2015 has stoked interest that Cypriot waters hold the same riches.
Cyprus has pushed ahead with exploring offshore energy resources, despite the collapse in 2017 of UN talks to end the country’s decades-long division.
Turkey was widely condemned for sending drill ships into Cyprus waters for energy exploration; the EU has also sanctioned it.
In the first half of 2022, ENI and Total are expected to drill in their licenced blocks, including an appraisal well at ENI’s Calypso discovery in Block 6.
They called off 2020 Cyprus explorations due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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