Somali President inspects Turkish drillship at offshore oil well

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud visited the Turkish deepwater drilling vessel Çağrı Bey to inspect ongoing offshore oil and gas exploration at the Curad-1 well. Located approximately 370 kilometres off the coast of Mogadishu, the operation is part of a 2024 energy agreement between Somalia and Türkiye.

Technical personnel briefed the President on drilling progress and equipment. The vessel is expected to reach a total depth of approximately 7,500 metres, with the drilling campaign projected to last around 288 days. While the mission marks a significant milestone in the energy partnership between the two nations, no commercial petroleum discoveries have been reported to date.

The operation is supported by Turkish naval vessels, including the Sancaktar, Gokova, and Bafra, to ensure security. The Somali government views the development of the petroleum sector as a potential driver for national investment, employment, and public revenue.