Turkey to announce tender for hydrocarbons exploration in Mediterranean

Turkey, which previously agreed with the Shell Oil Company to deal with oil and gas exploration in the Mediterranean Sea, will announce an international tender to issue a certificate for hydrocarbons exploration in the Gulf of Mersin in December, the Sabah newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Brazilian Petrobras has already expressed its interest in exploration operations in the Gulf of Mersin.

Major companies earmarked to tender are Shell, Petrobras, Exxon-Mobil, Chevron and Statoil.

Earlier Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz said that this week Ankara will sign an agreement with leading oil company Shell on joint oil and gas production in its own economic zone in the Mediterranean.

In late September, Turkey along with Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus began hydrocarbons exploration on the coasts of Cyprus, which is divided into Greek and Turkish sectors. These exploration operations became Ankara's response to similar work being conducted by the Republic of Cyprus.


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