A consortium composed of French and Italian companies is making plans to conduct drilling and field development in Cyprus.
Meanwhile, the Turkish drillship Abdulhamid Han is currently waiting for a signal from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to sail towards the Cypriot Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The ship is currently positioned between Rhodes and Cyprus, outside of the Cypriot and Greek maritime zones, as it awaits a political decision from President Erdogan to move south and eastward for drilling.
This move would indicate the intention of the occupying side to re-enter the Cypriot EEZ after a period of cessation. The Turkish plan for future actions has already been formulated, and its execution is dependent on time and circumstances.
One possible circumstance that could trigger action is if the French-Italian consortium proceeds with their announced plans for drilling and field development. It is important to note that the leadership of the Italian company ENI has assured Nicosia that they will be the first entity to extract gas from the Cypriot seabed, so Turkish drilling could be seen as a response to this.
The Turkish drillship Abdulhamid Han is equipped with the latest technology and is one of only five seventh-generation ships in the world. It has a maximum drilling depth of 12,200 meters and a crew capacity of 200. It is worth mentioning that Turkey has been conducting drilling activities in its own waters for the past four years.
