NICOSIA yesterday reiterated that it would not be intimidated into scrapping bids for oil drilling after Ankara stepped up its campaign to halt the process with a direct appeal to United Nations Secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon.
Meanwhile more reports have been emerging that a Turkish oil explorer has been making forays into the eastern Mediterranean. According to the Turkish media, the vessel set off from the port of Alexandretta, but neither its current location nor destination are known. It is believed the ship may be headed for areas adjacent to Cyprus’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
Last week, Turkey’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Baki Ilkin sent a letter to Ban disputing Nicosia’s jurisdiction over the occupied north. He also scolded the Cyprus government for inviting tenders in defiance of Turkish warnings against doing so.
Ambassador Ilkin, according to Turkish daily Zaman, said in his letter: “Greek Cyprus is trying to create a fait accompli in the region” and warned that “Turkey is determined to protect its rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.”
“The Republic of Cyprus is exercising its sovereign rights, within the framework of international law,” Government Spokesman Vasilis Palmas responded yesterday. “[It] is not concerned with any reactions or moves on the part of Turkey on this matter.”
So far, added Palmas, Turkish vessels had not encroached on Cyprus’ territorial waters.
“But we are closely monitoring the situation. If and when such violations do occur, we shall take recourse to all the relevant international fora…” he said.
He said the UN was kept abreast of developments.
And socialist leader Yiannakis Omirou blasted Ankara’s moves, saying it was behaving like an “international pirate” in claiming the right to explore in waters within Cyprus’ continental shelf.
The government says provisional data suggests there are oil and gas deposits in a sea area separating the island from Egypt to its south and Lebanon to its east. And it plans to open 11 areas, or “blocks” rimming the island’s south for exploration.
At present, oil majors can purchase seismic data and two-dimensional templates of the Mediterranean seabed from Cyprus. The data will be available for purchase until the end of this month, at which time companies can apply for exploration permits.
The seismic data covers an area of 60,000 km2 over the Eratosthenes structure, Levant Basin, and the prolific Nile Delta.
Asked whether oil majors have expressed an interest, Solon Kassinis, head of the Energy Department at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, said that four to five “renowned companies” were looking into the prospect.
“We believe that at least some of these will apply for an exploration licence,” Kassinis told the Mail.
Kassinis explained that the reason no one has yet applied was because the date of filing applications is fixed for August 16.
“We can’t accept applications before that,” he said.
In the event that more than one companies bid for the same block, he explained, the government would compare the offers and choose.
Assuming all goes smoothly, the second round of licensing would commence in mid-2008, he said.
The second round involves surveying with 3D technology, which yields far more accurate data than two-dimensional surveys.
The next step would be issuing licences for actual prospecting.
“Under the circumstances, the signs we are getting [from oil companies] are very encouraging,” Trade Minister Antonis Michaelides told the Mail yesterday.
“In spite of high oil prices worldwide, as well as the fact that not many corporations are interested in drilling for uncertain reserves, the response has been satisfactory.
“But there’s still a long way to go, mind you,” added Michaelides, placing the actual commencement of prospecting between three and seven years from today.
