TPAO readying to explore oil off northern Cyprus
Saturday, February 3, 2007
ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
In retaliation to the Greek Cypriot administration's decision to explore oil and natural gas off the Mediterranean island, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) is planning to do the same off northern Cyprus, sources said.
Officials from the Turkish Energy Ministry said TPAO efforts have been actually under way for almost one year and that they had intensified efforts in recent days.
“TPAO has already had an exploration license granted by the Turkish Cypriot government and now we'll start exploration and put the decision into practice,” ministry officials said, apparently referring to a Turkish Cypriot Cabinet decision made five years ago.
The Energy Ministry has been working on this issue, officials said, and the issue of oil and gas exploration off northern Cyprus appeared on the agenda of a National Security Council (MGK) meeting last year under the “Energy Strategy” topic.
TPAO has intensified efforts for approximately two weeks off northern Cyprus and mostly focused on “technical needs for such an exploration,” sources said. One official said TPAO does not have the technical capability for off-shore oil and gas exploration, adding that foreign companies undertook the mission of exploring natural resources in Turkish waters.
“TPAO has a license but lacks in technical capability. Therefore, this will be resolved through service procurement. The option of service procurement from one of the leading four or five exploration companies in the world will be under consideration,” the same official said.
The Energy Ministry is now working to find out which company can provide the best service procurement. Officials say a Brazilian or a Canadian company which explored oil and gas in the Black Sea in the past is likely to be chosen for service procurement. Asked how the process would evolve they say exploration will start first and then drilling in previously determined areas.
Officials are now working on detailed maps displaying northern Cyprus and after exploration, drilling work will start. If a positive outcome is reached as a result, oil or natural gas production will begin. But the officials do not give specific “timing” for exploration and only say it will start “soon.”
“This process also partly depends on steps to be taken by the Greek Cypriot administration,” they note. Turkey has not taken the initiative to start oil and gas exploration off northern Cyprus so far, but may do so if the Greek Cypriots go ahead with their own exploration activities.
In the meantime, when asked how the exploration work will be financed, ministry officials said TPAO has already put aside a certain amount of funding for exploration and the Turkish step to start exploration off northern Cyprus will be financed from the TPAO budget.
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/arti ... wsid=65399
the sneaky bastards started a year ago, said nothing about it, no mention of others rights and they have the balls to demand rights.
it just goes to show you the mentality. what's mine is mine and what's yours is also mine.
and talat the court jester is throwing threats around ffs
