Turkey launches Somalia's first deep-sea oil drilling mission off Mogadishu coast

Turkey's ultra-deepwater drilling vessel Cagri Bey arrived in Somalia on April 9 to begin the nation's first overseas deep-sea oil exploration at the Curad-1 well, located 372 kilometers off Mogadishu's coast. The operation will last approximately 288 days, drilling to a depth of 7,500 meters in what represents a significant energy infrastructure investment for the Horn of Africa nation. This project signals Turkey's expanding geopolitical influence in East Africa and Somalia's attempt to develop offshore hydrocarbon resources amid regional competition for maritime energy assets. The mission reflects broader strategic competition in the Indian Ocean, where multiple nations are competing for energy resources and geopolitical positioning.