The Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources has confirmed the arrival of a seventh-generation drilling vessel in Somalia, where it is expected to begin offshore hydrocarbon exploration activities and drill what is described as the second deepest offshore well in the world.
the Mr. Kajri The seventh-generation deepwater drilling ship, which was completed in South Korea in 2024, will carry out Turkey’s first deep-sea exploration drilling operation abroad. The rig, which arrived in Somalia on April 9, 2026, after a 53-day journey, is expected to set sail on April 10 and reach the CURAD-1 well site within a day or two, which is located 372 kilometers off the coast of Mogadishu.
According to the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, an underwater robot, capable of diving to a depth of 4,000 metres, will be used in seabed operations during drilling activities to be conducted by the drill ship. Upon arrival at the well site, the Chagri Bay rig will complete positioning work, followed by various tests related to the drilling process.
The drill ship will then drill to a total depth of 7,500 metres, reaching 4,005 meters below the seabed at a water depth of 3,495 metres. The Korad-1 well is expected to become the second deepest offshore well in the world, at a depth of 7,500 metres.
Drilling operations in Somalia are expected to last 288 days. Due to the use of the underwater robot, the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources claims that the drilling operation will go down in history as one of the rare cases in which underwater robots used in such operations reached this depth.
Capable of drilling to a depth of 12,000 meters in deep water, the Jaggery Bay drillship is 228 meters long, 114 meters high, and 42 meters wide. The ship, which has a helipad, also provides living quarters for 200 people.
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