While the Turks are proceeding as planned with the project to connect Turkey and the occupied territories via a natural gas pipeline, Nicosia is moving forward with its own plans
The NAVTEX issued by the Antalya Hydrographic Office on October 23, effective from the 26th of that month through December 31, was not merely another attempt by Turkey to impose its own fait accompli. It was concrete proof that it is moving forward with its plans to construct a two-way natural gas pipeline to and from the de facto occupied territories. With the Oruc Reis having completed its seismic surveys of the seabed between Cyprus and Turkey, Ankara is dispatching a research fleet to begin preparatory work for the pipeline’s construction. However, on the very same day that the NAVTEX took effect, eight contracts were signed for the construction projects required to begin natural gas extraction from the Kronos field. Parallel to the ceremony, a leak from the Presidential Office indicated that further developments in the Cypriot EEZ are forthcoming.
After water, now natural gas
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
When the undersea water pipeline from Turkey to the occupied territories was inaugurated in 2015, Ankara took one of its most decisive steps toward making occupied Cyprus its 82nd province. 2028 may be the year it takes another such step, until the next one. Just like the water interconnection, the construction of a natural gas pipeline is something that has been under discussion for years. This October, Turkey’s plans are taking shape, in a development that should alarm everyone in the free areas.
The first NAVTEX issued by the Antalya Hydrographic Station reserved the maritime area between Cyprus and Turkey from October 1, Cyprus Independence Day, until last Monday, the 26th of the month. In this context, the research vessel Oruc Reis, owned by the Turkish government—specifically the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO)—completed its seismic surveys. During these surveys, the Turkish research vessel mapped the seabed along the planned route using 3D images of the seabed.
Before the NAVTEX for the Oruc Reis had even expired, the Turks issued the next one, with which they once again restricted the maritime area between Turkey and Cyprus, effective October 26, that is, the day after the previous NAVTEX expired, through December 31.
A notable difference is that the new NAVTEX does not mention the Oruc Reis, as its seismic surveys appear to have been completed. The new Turkish NAVTEX refers to “scientific research and underwater operations by the vessels Denar Pathfinder, Denar Echo, Denar Explorer, and Kirici, at 12 specified coordinates in the Mediterranean Sea.” In other words, the Turks’ plans are genuine and their surveys are proceeding with the aim of implementation, as the four vessels were chartered by TRAO, which has undertaken the project.
The composition of the fleet is indicative, which indicates that Turkey is now proceeding with specific construction and mechanical preparatory work directly at the 12 designated points along the pipeline route. Therefore, the mapping of the pipeline route has now been completed, and specific coordinates through which it will pass have been determined. The four vessels are capable of, among other things, mapping, diving operations, various offshore tasks, and operations in shallow waters. Their deployment demonstrates that the Turks are proceeding with the precise routing of the pipeline, geotechnical and geophysical surveys of the seabed, identifying the points where the pipeline will come ashore, and collecting all the necessary data required for the final design of the pipeline’s laying.
Turkish Plans with a Target Date of 2028
Based on the published data for each vessel, the following are expected to be completed by the end of 2026:
- Seabed mapping and survey
- Topographic mapping via seabed scanning to record relief, slopes, and geological features
- Selection of the optimal route to avoid dangerous underwater faults or steep drops
- Geotechnical and Geophysical Surveys
- Assessment of the seabed soil composition to determine its stability and ability to withstand the weight and pressures exerted by the pipeline over the long term
- Safety inspection for unexploded ordnance
- Identification of underwater hazards using specialized systems and underwater robots
Turkish plans call for a project with a total length of 101 kilometers, 97 of which are underwater and 4 kilometers on land. The landfall points—that is, where the pipeline will connect to the local natural gas distribution system—have been designated at Anamur in the province of Mersin in southern Turkey, and at the Teknezik power plant, located in the coastal area 13 kilometers east of Kyrenia. The plans call for a bidirectional project—that is, two pipelines that will transport natural gas both to the occupied territories and to Turkey, with all that this entails. It should be noted, however, that Anamur has not yet been connected to the rest of Turkey’s large-scale natural gas distribution pipeline system, as the natural gas infrastructure in the region is limited to local distribution of the fuel. Although it remains unclear how Turkey will supply natural gas to the occupied territories, the high-pressure transmission pipeline being constructed by the state-owned company BOTAŞ—intended to extend the existing natural gas infrastructure eastward in Turkey and along its Mediterranean coast, appears set to supply the occupied territories as well.
On the other side of Cyprus
On the same day that the Turks moved on to the next phase of the pipeline’s construction, eight contracts for construction projects related to the development of the Kronos gas field were signed at the Presidential Palace. Work will begin immediately, with the goal of starting production in early 2028, with reports indicating that the first exports of Cypriot natural gas are expected between March and July 2028. The contracts signed cover work on:
- subsea production systems,
- a floating control unit
- offshore pipelines
- subsea cables
- an onshore pipeline to transport natural gas to the liquefaction and export terminal in Damietta, Egypt,
- drilling operations using the SAIPEM 10000 drilling rig, and
- natural gas production pipelines.
It should be noted that reserves of 3.1 trillion cubic feet have been confirmed in the Kronos field. On the same day, it was leaked from the Presidential Office that the ENI–TotalEnergies consortium is targeting two new exploratory wells at two nearby locations, west and east of the field, where it is estimated that at least another two trillion cubic feet of natural gas will be discovered. The sale price of the natural gas may not have been the most financially advantageous for Cyprus; however, as Energy Minister Michalis Damianos noted, “the significance of the Kronos field far exceeds the size of its estimated reserves. As our country’s first hydrocarbon development project, it marks the beginning of a new chapter in our energy journey and provides a substantial boost to our efforts to transform offshore discoveries into tangible economic and strategic value.”
According to the plan approved by the consortium upon making the final investment decision (FID), natural gas will be transported from the Kronos field to the facilities at the Egyptian Zor field, where the gas will be processed to remove foreign particles and impurities, and then transported to the onshore facilities at Damietta, where it will be liquefied, loaded onto tankers, and exported to European markets.
According to reports, Italy’s ENI is in advanced talks with ExxonMobil to form a new joint venture for Block 4. This specific block is located in a maritime area claimed by Turkey; it remains undeveloped to date and borders Block 5, where ExxonMobil holds rights through a joint venture with QatarEnergy. By law, a company that holds rights to a block in the Cypriot EEZ is entitled to receive the rights to an unallocated block that borders a block in which it already holds rights through direct award. The issue of awarding Block 4 to the American giant has been in the works for quite some time, with the government expecting the agreement for Block 4 to be signed within the year.
