Her research vessel Turkey “Abdul Hamit Khan” left the port of Tasuku in Turkey and headed southwest, according to the Marine Traffic website.

The new Abdul Hamit Khan drilling rig is 238 meters long and 42 meters wide, belongs to the 7th generation and is considered the most powerful drilling rig in Turkey. This drilling rig has more advanced technology than the 6th generation vessels, which are capable of offshore drilling under very high pressure at a depth of 12,000-12,500 meters. The 7th generation will be able to drill deeper.

In 2021, Turkey signed an agreement with South Korean Daewoo to purchase a fourth floating drilling rig, then named West Cobalt. Ankara has three more drilling rigs Yavuz, Kanuni and Fatih of the 6th generation, which are already conducting research in the Black Sea.

Turkey announced in 2021 that it had discovered deposits in the Black Sea with a volume of 400 billion cubic meters. The Turkish government aims to meet 25% of its natural gas needs from these fields in 2026 and plans to continue its exploration. Today it buys 44.9% of its gas from Russia, 16.1% from Iran and 15% from Azerbaijan.