![Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Donmez speaks at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Political Committee (PC) and Middle East Special Group (GSM) joint meeting in Istanbul, Turkiye on June 14, 2022 [İsa Terli/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/AA-20220614-28156415-28156412-NATO_PA_PC_AND_GSM_JOINT_MEETING_IN_ISTANBUL.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
Turkiye’s fourth drillship, Abdulhamid Han, will start operations in the Mediterranean Sea in August, Fatih Donmez, the country’s energy and natural resources minister said yesterday.
During a visit to Mersin in the south of the country where the vessel is docked, Donmez said the ship, being one of five seventh-generation ships in the world, has the latest technology, and will join a fleet of three others carrying out hydrocarbon operations.
The country has been undertaking drilling activities in its waters over the past four years.
Next week will see more activity when the ship, Castorone, will begin laying pipes in the deep waters of the Black Sea to allow Black Sea natural gas to be brought onshore.
READ: Turkiye will pump 10m cubic metres of gas a day from Black Sea