Turkish seismic research ship concludes researches

GAZIMAGUSA (A.A) - November 2, 2011 - A Turkish seismic research ship concluded seismic researches in the Mediterranean on Wednesday. Koca Piri Reis ship collected data from 4,000-km area in the East Mediterranean, finishing researches in Zone G.  After completing its researches, the ship arrived at Gazimagusa Port. Piri Reis set sail from Izmir's Urla Port on September 23 to the East Mediterranean to conduct geophysical research and collect seismic data on behalf of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). On September 21, Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Dervis Eroglu of TRNC signed in New York an agreement on the delineation of the continental shelf between two countries in the East Mediterranean. The deal gives Turkey the green light to search oil and natural gas inside the Turkish Cypriot waters.   The agreement follows a Greek Cypriot move to start offshore drilling for natural gas and oil in the southeast of the Eastern Mediterranean island. On September 22, TRNC Council of Ministers gave exploration license to TPAO, Turkish Petroleum Corp., to explore oil and natural gas in the sea around Cyprus island. TRNC President Eroglu met UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York on September 24, and proposed to suspend oil and natural gas exploration until a comprehensive solution was found to Cyprus question or if Greek Cypriot administration insisted on oil exploration, then a committee shall be set up by the two sides in the island, and it shall decide how to share the richness that could be found after the explorations. However, Greek Cypriot side did not give a positive response. Thus, TPAO, by Piri Reis vessel, began geophysical research and seismic data collecting studies on behalf of TRNC on September 26. In 2010, the Greek Cypriot administration and Israel signed an accord demarcating their maritime borders to facilitate a search for mineral deposits in the East Mediterranean. The Greek Cypriot side had signed a deal with U.S.-based Noble Energy to start drilling in an 324,000-hectare economic zone adjacent to the Israeli waters.