Turkish Ship to Begin Oil Search off Somalia

A Turkish seismic research vessel plans to arrive off the coast of Somalia at the end of October and begin searching for oil and natural gas, after the countries agreed on energy cooperation, Turkey's energy ministry said on Thursday.

The March agreement envisaged oil exploration and production and allowed Turkish Petroleum to obtain licenses for three areas in the Somali seas.

The ship Oruc Reis will explore in areas covering approximately 5,000 square km (1,930 square miles), the ministry said, adding President Tayyip Erdogan will attend a ceremony in Turkey on Saturday to mark the ship's departure.

"We predict that the area where Oruc Reis will work is a region with oil prospects," Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said in the statement.

Oruc Reis will be accompanied by two navy frigates and support ships and will reach offshore Somalia via the Mediterranean, Suez Canal and Red Sea.

Bayraktar said Turkish Petroleum has exploration licences in a maritime jurisdiction area divided into three fields covering a total of 15,000 square km. The three-dimensional seismic study is expected to last about seven months.

(Reuters - Reporting by Can Sezer; Writing by Daren Butler; Editing by Jonathan Spicer)