EU extends sanctions framework against Turkey over gas drilling by one year - PLATTS

06 Nov 2020 | 12:43 UTC London
Stuart Elliott, Editor: Alisdair Bowles 

London — The EU Council on Nov. 6 extended by one year its framework for sanctions that can be imposed against those responsible for Turkey's gas exploration work in disputed waters of the East Mediterranean.

The Council first adopted the sanctions framework in November last year.

"The Council today adopted a decision extending for one year, until Nov. 12, 2021, the existing framework for restrictive measures in response to Turkey's unauthorized drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean," it said.

"The EU will therefore maintain its ability to impose targeted restrictive measures on persons or entities responsible for or involved in unauthorized drilling activities of hydrocarbons in the Eastern Mediterranean," it said.

The sanctions would consist of a travel ban to the EU and an asset freeze for persons, and an asset freeze for entities.

In addition, EU persons and entities are forbidden from making funds available to those listed, it said.

The two officials to be placed under sanctions in February were TPAO exploration head Mehmet Ferruh Akalin and deputy exploration director Ali Coscun Namoglu.

EU imposes sanctions on Turkish energy officials - KATHIMERINI

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2020 - 21:47

The European Union has imposed sanctions on two high-ranking officials from the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) in connection with Turkey's illegal drilling activities in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone, it emerged on Thursday.

The restrictive measures to be imposed on Mehmet Ferruh Akalin and Ali Coscun Namoglu consist of a ban on travel to the EU and an asset freeze, the Cyprus Mail reported. Moreover, EU persons and entities are not permitted to make funds available to the two individuals, it said.

The decision was made public on Thursday in the EU’s Official Journal which referred to Akalin as Vice-President and member of the Board of Directors of the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and head of TPAO’s exploration, research and development and information technologies departments and to Namoglu as TPAO’s deputy director of exploration involved in planning and overseeing TPAO’s offshore hydrocarbon exploration activities.

Cyprus and Norway prepare to sign energy MoU - KATHIMERINI

Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide with her Cypriot
counterpart Nicos Christodoulides (PIO)

21 FEBRUARY 2020 - 16:43

Cyprus and Norway began preparations on Friday to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy issues, that will contain provisions for the exchange of expertise in relation to the national hydrocarbon fund (sovereign fund), among other things.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, the MoU under discussion contains five components, concerning LNG bunkering, LNG legislation, and cross border interconnection for natural gas and electricity. Other provisions include Renewable Energy Sources and sovereign fund management.

The MoU will be signed at Ministerial level once the relevant preparation work is completed.

Diplomatic sources said Oslo recently discouraged a Norwegian energy company form entering into cooperation with TPAO, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation.

After it was approached by TPAO to cooperate over drilling issues, the company contacted Norway’s Foreign Ministry, which in turn appeared negative to the prospect of the two companies cooperating.

Azeri natural gas sellers book 8.6 Bcm/year long-term capacity to Italy: TAP - S&P GLOBAL PLATTS

Brussels, 23 Aug 2018 | 11:28 UTC
Author: Siobhan Hall; Editor: Alisdair Bowles

• 10 Bcm/year Greece
• -Italy TAP gas link to open in 2020
• Shah Deniz 2 sellers have 25-year capacity contracts
• TAP to offer short-term capacity in future auctions

Brussels — Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz 2 natural gas field producers have booked around 8.6 Bcm/year of long-term capacity to Italy in the planned 10 Bcm/year Trans-Adriatic Pipeline, developer TAP's head of communication, Lisa Givert, told S&P Global Platts on Thursday.

TAP is the last leg of the so-called Southern Gas Corridor that is to enable Europe to import gas initially from the 16 Bcm/year Shah Deniz 2 field, a new supply source.

Turkey’s first drilling ship passes Gallipoli - ANADOLU AGENCY

Deepsea Metro II reaches Sea of Marmara on way to Black Sea

29.12.2017
Burak Akay, CANAKKALE, Turkey

Turkey’s first drilling ship, the Deepsea Metro II, passed the straits of Gallipoli on Friday, the Turkish Petroleum Company said.

The state-run firm said it was to be used for drilling in the Black Sea.

Turkey’s first drillship to arrive by end of December - HURRIYET DAILY NEWS

December 18 2017 12:39:00
ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s first drillship, the Deepsea Metro 2, is expected to arrive in Turkey by the end of December in preparation for exploratory offshore drilling in the Mediterranean Sea at the beginning of next year, shipping data showed on Dec. 18.

The data showed that the ship, which will be used by the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), left Norway’s Hoylandsbygda port and is expected to arrive in Turkey on Dec. 31.

Turkey has already undertaken oil and gas exploration using two seismic ships, but the Deepsea Metro 2 will be the country’s first active drillship.

The South Korean merchant vessel was produced in 2011, has a length of 229 meters (751 feet), and is capable of drilling into a maximum depth of 40,000 feet.

Nigeria To Play A Major Role In Turkey’s Energy Sector - OILPRICE.com

Jul 29, 2017, 10:00 AM CDT

Shadow Governance Intel

Nigeria is one of Turkey’s largest trading partners in Africa, and trade remains an integral component of Nigeria – Turkey bilateral relations. In 2014, trade between the two countries reached approximately US $2.5 billion. However, this figure fell to US $1.5 billion in 2015 and approximately US $1 billion in 2016, largely due to a drop in global oil and gas prices.

Over the past several decades, Nigeria has become one of Turkey’s most important providers of liquid natural gas (LNG), currently accounting for more than 20 percent of LNG imports. However, this trade relationship has the potential to develop and expand as the global LNG market flourishes, and both the Turkish and Nigerian governments invest in furthering their domestic LNG sectors.

The Legal Aspects of Turkey's Claims over Offshore Blocks in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus - ANTONIOU McCOLLUM & CO.

July 25, 2017
Anastasios A. Antoniou

Speed read

Total and ENI hold the exploration licences for block 6 in the Exclusive Economic Zone ("EEZ") of the Republic of Cyprus. Turkey claims that part of block 6 falls within its own continental shelf and has extended warnings to Cyprus as well as Total and ENI as regards their exploration operations. This note assesses Turkey's claims vis-à-vis the Cypriot EEZ from an international law perspective.

The Republic of Cyprus is the only existing Subject of International Law on the island of Cyprus and its government is the sole legitimate government on the island. The act of declaring the ‘TRNC’ is ‘legally invalid’ at International Law and the only legitimate State on the island of Cyprus is the Republic of Cyprus.

Turkish vessel to begin deep-sea drilling in Black Sea - DAILY SABAH

19.3.2017

The seismic detection vessel "Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa," belonging to the Turkish Petroleum Corporation, has started to conduct deep-sea drilling and seismic exploration of oil and natural gas resources in Samsun, Ordu and Giresun in the Black Sea.

The Turkish Petroleum Corporation, which is a subsidiary of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, has begun natural gas and oil exploration in the Black Sea. The ship Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa which anchored in the Samsun Port harbor on Saturday and received logistic support, started to conduct research on Samsun, Ordu and Giresun offshore. Moreover, onboard the vessel, which will conduct research for three months in the region, are 44 crew members, including mostly researchers.

‘Block 11 looks extremely promising’, gas expert says - CYPRUS MAIL

Cyprus' president Nicos Anastasiades (left) w/ European Commission's
president Jean-Claude Juncker

March 9, 2017
Elias Hazou

The partnership between French oil and gas major Total and Italy’s ENI in offshore Block 11 is an extremely significant development as it greatly increases the chances for a natural gas discovery in the licensed acreage, an energy analyst has told the Cyprus Mail.

“We have here a combination of Total’s technical know-how with ENI’s intimate knowledge of the proximate acreage after their discovery of the Zohr gas field in Egyptian waters,” Charles Ellinas said.

The expert confirmed reports that Block 11 is looking extremely promising.

To date, four or five targets have been identified there, he added.

Survey vessel looking for best route for undersea power cable - CYPRUS MAIL

Odin Finder left Limassol on Monday

January 25, 2016, By Staff Reporter

A research and survey vessel began on Monday a reconnaissance study for the optimum route for a proposed high-voltage subsea power cable connecting Israel and Cyprus to the European mainland.

The Italy-flagged Odin Finder, owned and operated by Italian company GAS S.r.l, set out from the port of Limassol in the morning.

According to Marine Traffic, the vessel’s destination is the port of Piraeus, Greece, with an estimated time of arrival there at 12:00 (UTC) on Thursday.

The ship is equipped to carry out various operations, including bathymetry, survey, geotechnical and ROV surveys.

Turkey to focus on Natural Gas Storage Energy Minister Says | Daily Sabah

Istanbul, 24/12/2015 - Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak said Thursday that the ministry's priority will be increasing the natural gas storage capacity of the country. Albayrak gave a briefing about energy policies, investments and plans of the energy ministry to deputies representing the Marmara region.

The government will support investments in two natural gas storage facilities with a total capacity of 4 billion cubic meters with a comprehensive stimulus package. The investment aims to make a major contribution to natural gas supply security and trade in Turkey as a part of endeavors to increase the natural gas storage capacity.

The government is set to offer a stimulus package for two new natural gas storage facilities to be constructed in Mersin by Bendis Energy via Toren Natural Gas Storage and Mining Inc. and Gas Storage and Mining Inc. Bendis Energy will invest nearly $10.5 billion in the storage facilities that will have a total capacity of 4 billion cubic meters.

The natural gas supply from Russia to Turkey was brought to the agenda right after a Russian Sukhoi-24 fighter jet violating Turkey's airspace in the southern province of Hatay was downed by Turkish F-16 fighters last month. The Russian government decided to implement some economic sanctions against Turkey including banning some Turkish goods from entering the country. Yet due to binding agreements, the Russian natural gas flow to Turkey continues uninterrupted; however, Turkey held talks with several natural gas suppliers since the incident to ensure energy security.

Albayrak said the government does not think or expect that Russia will cut natural gas flow to Turkey due to the crisis, adding that, nevertheless, all possibilities are taken into consideration and necessary measures have been taken. He added that Turkey has hydroelectric power plants, coal plants and other alternatives regarding liquefied natural gas (LNG), gas capacities and cargo handling.

Pointing to the fact that Turkey imports 56 percent of its natural gas from Russia, Albayrak stated the government will take steps to diversify this supply. The minister also said that Turkey is holding positive talks with Qatar, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan on natural gas import.

Underlining that the first thing to be done is to increase the capacity of natural gas storage facilities in Turkey, Albayrak said investments in this area will be rapidly actualized. Also, storage facilities will be put into operation in Thrace and Lake Tuz.

Turkey's first underground natural gas storage facility in Silivri, which has a storage capacity of 2.6 billion cubic meters, is operated by the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO). The second one will be put into operation in Lake Tuz as of 2016 and will have a storage capacity of 500 million cubic meters in the first phase. Its total capacity will be increased to 1 billion cubic meters in the second phase, which will be put into use in 2019. The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources is developing projects to store around 10 percent of the imported natural gas in Turkey every year over the next five years.

Toren Natural Gas Storage and Mining Inc. will invest nearly $7 billion in a 3-billion-cubic-meter storage facility. The company will import machines and equipment worth more than $695 million for the facility that will employ 48 people.
Gas Storage and Mining Inc. will make a fixed investment of nearly $3.5 billion in a storage facility where 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas will be stored. The company will import machines and equipment worth more than $360 million for the facility that will employ 24 people. The natural gas storage facilities will be supported with investment incentives such as value-added tax returns, value-added tax exemptions, customs duty exemptions, a 90 percent tax deduction, investment support of 50 percent, seven years of support for an insurance premium employer deal, the allocation of investment placement and interest support.

SOURCE