Turkey drills in troubled waters
The deployment of the Yavuz in a section of the Mediterranean claimed by Cyprus pushes the region closer to open conflict
Turkey announced this week that it is “tearing up the maps” in the eastern Mediterranean, with a drillship now searching for gas deposits south-west of Cyprus. The Yavuz, operated by state-owned Turkish Petroleum (TPAO), is stationed in an area already claimed by the Cypriot government. At stake are massive gas deposits discovered by Egypt, Cyprus and Israel, with Turkey insisting it has a right to share in the region’s hydrocarbons boom. Turkish vice president Fuat Oktay said the ship’s deployment was a declaration of intent. “We are tearing up maps in the eastern Mediterranean that were drawn up to imprison us on the mainland.” Turkey has long claimed an area of the Mediterranean it names
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The latest edition of our annual Outlook publication, titled 'The shape of energy to come: Creating unique pathways and managing shifting alliances', is available now
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal
