Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.17 /Trend, A.Taghiyeva /
About 10 major international companies appealed to Turkey for hydrocarbons exploration in the Turkish section of the Mediterranean Sea, TRT Haber TV channel quotes Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz as saying on Friday.
Earlier, Turkish media reported that the Turkish state oil company TPAO has reached an agreement in principle with Shell to start probing work in the Mediterranean Sea in shore of Antalya, at a depth of 2.5 kilometers.
Details of the agreement were not disclosed. It was reported that Shell will cover the costs of conducting research work in a special economic zone of Turkey. Shell will also provide a platform to conduct probing work.
Shell investments in the project may exceed one billion dollars. Oil, to be produced, will be divided equally by the parties.
Turkey jointly with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) began hydrocarbons exploration inshore of Cyprus divided into Turkish and Greek parts in response to similar work conducted by the Republic of Cyprus in late September 2011. Ankara also stated that Nicosia's unilateral action for hydrocarbons extraction will adversely affect the negotiation process on the long-term resolution of the Cyprus problem.