The offshore jack up rig GSP Jupiter was spotted off Kyrenia harbour this morning.
The floating rig is owned by Romanian company Sonnat Offshore and was hired by Turkish national oil and gas company TPAO for offshore drilling in the Black Sea last April.
Since which time Turkey, has sent its seismic exploration ship ‘Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha’ into the eastern Mediterranean to search for hydrocarbons.
In late September 2013, Turkey’s Energy Minister, Taner Yildiz announced TPAO’s intention to extend its hydrocarbon searches around Cyprus if Prime Minister Erdogan agreed.
The issue of drilling for hydrocarbons is a contentious one because Turkey has accused South Cyprus of exploring above its continental shelf. On its part, South Cyprus declared an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) around the southern shores of Cyprus.
