Turkish seismic ship to conduct research in Black Sea

IZMIR, Turkey

A Turkish seismic ship will conduct research on gas hydrate resources in the Black Sea, a local university announced on Wednesday.

The statement from Dokuz Eylul University (DEU) in the western Izmir province said a protocol was signed between the Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology and Dokuz Eylul Technology Development Zone for the project on investigating the gas hydrate resources in the Black Sea with the university's research vessel, Koca Piri Reis.

With the project, it is aimed to determine the amount of gas hydrates known to exist in wide areas in the Black Sea, the gas volume they contain, the geochemical composition of the gas, and to find the most suitable gas production model.

Derman Dondurur, a professor at the DEU Institute of Marine Sciences and Technology faculty, said in a statement said that it is possible to obtain 164 cubic meters of natural gas from 1 cubic meter of gas hydrate under ideal conditions.

Dondurur underlined that the main research method in the project will be seismic studies, adding that all the activities will be carried out by Koca Piri Reis research vessel.

He also said that the research will include the collection of sediment samples from the sea bottom, and its geochemical and geotechnical analysis.

DEU Rector Nukhet Hotar, on her turn, said they closely follow Turkey's recent steps and policies in the energy field.

"I wish this important project, which will support our country's moves in the field of energy and its efforts to reduce foreign dependency in energy, will be beneficial," she said.

*Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev in Ankara