The Turkish navy blocked the journey of the Saipem 12000, the Eni platform, which was going to Cyprus for drilling operations under license from the Nicosia government. A surprise move, announced by the Cypriot foreign minister and confirmed by the Italian oil group, which comes after the words of the Turkish president Recyp Erdogan who, the day after his visit to Italy, had said he was against the group's operations "in the Mediterranean Oriental". "The natural gas (exploration) works in that region represent a threat to northern Cyprus and to us", the sultan himself stressed, explaining that he had expressed, in his mission to Rome last week, the "Turkish concerns" to the president Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni. The Saipem naval vessel - confirms Eni - “had to interrupt the journey to a new location to be drilled as it was blocked by some Turkish military ships with the warning not to continue because military activities would be in progress in the destination area ". The ship has thus “prudently carried out the orders and will remain in position pending an evolution of the situation. Saipem 12000 is planning drilling activities on behalf of Eni in block 3 in the waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus ”, the group recalls. For his part, Nicosia's foreign minister, Ioannis Kasoulides, has made it known - as reported by the PA - that Cyprus is in contact with the Italian society and government. Eni has been present in Cyprus since 2013 and holds interests in six licenses located in the republic's exclusive economic waters (in Blocks 2, 3, 6, 8, 9 and 11), five as operators. Only a few days ago the group announced that it had made a gas discovery in Block 6, offshore Cyprus, through the Calypso 1 well. This is - it was explained - a promising gas discovery and confirms the extension of the Zohr research topic in the exclusive economic waters of Cyprus ”. Although “for an accurate assessment of the dimensions of the discovery, new studies and a delineation program are required”.
