Black Sea increasingly becomes strategic area

[ekrem]

Shatsky Ridge Exploration zone
Russia, ExxonMobil seal $1bn Black Sea oil deal
Russia, ExxonMobil seal $1bn Black Sea oil deal | EurActiv

The deal with Exxon is for an area of 8.600 km² (Shatsky Ridge).
Rosneft (State Oil Company) says, that there are proven reserves of 860 million tons in this exploration area.


Tuapse stretch Exploration zone
In another exploration area of Russia's Black Sea (Tuapse stretch) there is 4.32 billion barrels of Oil.
Russia, ExxonMobil seal $1bn Black Sea oil deal | EurActiv


Val Shatskogo Exploration zone
Here, Rosneft is partnering with Chevron.
Russian Energy Minister says, that possible investments in this exploration area amount to 32 Billion $.

(...) If the partnership is successful, further investment could exceed one trillion rubles (32 billion dollars) (...)

AFP: Rosneft, Chevron to explore Black Sea for oil

____________________________________________
Unfortunately, I can't find maps that give clear indications of the exploration areas. I can't say, if above 3 mentioned exploration areas fill all of Russia's share of the Black Sea.

Maps like these:

The above map shows Turkey's share of Black Sea.
Just like in case of Russia, Chevron and Exxon are also involved in exploration in Turkey's share of Black Sea.
It's real 'big players' entering Black Sea and investing.

The Oil rig 'Leiv Eriksson' is already drilling in Turkish Black Sea.
It is one of the largest ultra-deepwater rigs.
http://www.ocean-rig.com/stream_file.asp?iEntityId=335

For 1.5 Billion $ we have ordered another rig to be constructed.
Turkey's new oil rig to arrive in 2011 - Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review


I don't know how much $ the 3 big International Oil companies have already invested, but Turkish Petroleum has already invested 4 Billion $ in the Black Sea.
TPAO's investments in Black Sea reach $4 billion - Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

In the next 3 years, Turkish Petroleum will invest another 4 Billion $ in Black Sea.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-222...-billion-over-3-years-in-oil-exploration.html


We estimate, that there is 10 billion barrels oil and 3 trillion cubic meters gas in Turkish Black Sea.
TPAO's investments in Black Sea reach $4 billion - Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

We aim to be energy-independent by 2023.
TPAO aims to end Turkish dependence on foreign energy - Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

 

[ekrem]

The next tender we will invite International companies will be in Mediteranean.
It is the Antalya Exploration zone marked green.
Turkish Petroleum has already layed the pipeline network, and has 10.000 km 2D and 1.000 km2 3D seismic data of this area.

Estimates range to 15 Trillion cubic feet of gas.

http://www.tpao.gov.tr/v1.4/condocs/2011/EMEDAntalya.pdf

 

[ekrem]

3.2 Billion $ we will invest into Iraq Oil fields.
Turkey primes $3.2bn Iraq spend - Upstream Online

 

[ekrem]

3.2 Billion $ we will invest into Iraq Oil fields.
Turkey primes $3.2bn Iraq spend - Upstream Online

 

[uscitizen]

Amazing! If there is oil it becomes strategic.

 

[ekrem]

Amazing! If there is oil it becomes strategic.

It is already.
Russia has surpassed S.Arabia as world's biggest oil producer.
Most of Russia's oil is being shipped from the Black Sea city of Novorijsisk.

There flows 3 times more oil through Bosphorus then the Suez Canal.
A Brief Tour Of The 7 Oil Chokepoints That Are Crucial To The World Economy

 

[ekrem]

Also 15,000 more vessels then the Suez Canal according to that Link.

 

[ekrem]

 

[uscitizen]

And of course according to some oil and such has had nothing to do with our involvement in Afganistan

 

[westwall]

The Black Sea has been extremely strategic since the age of Justinian, if not before.

 

[ekrem]

Montreux Convention
The Convention gives Turkey full control over the Straits and guarantees the free passage of civilian vessels in peacetime. It severely restricts the passage of non-Turkish military vessels and prohibits some types of warships, such as aircraft carriers, from passing through the Straits.
Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Turkish Straits - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[DiveCon]

And of course according to some oil and such has had nothing to do with our involvement in Afganistan

um, what part of any of those maps show Afghanistan?

 

[ekrem]

The Black Sea has been extremely strategic since the age of Justinian, if not before.

Neolithic settlements.
At these places were build the 1st Temples and Monuments.

Çatalhöyük - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Göbekli Tepe - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Neval? Çori - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Free Article for Non-Members | STRATFOR

Turkey occupies on some of the most valuable real estate in the world. The Anatolian plateau is high and easily defensible, and as a peninsula it also supports a thriving maritime culture. Both are excellent assets for growing a successful state. But Turkey’s most important feature is its critical location. It sits astride the land routes connecting Europe, the former Soviet Union and the Middle East — not to mention the straits connecting the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. It is the only country in the world that is positioned to project influence readily into all of these regions.

A deeper look reveals that the territory that comprises modern-day Turkey has been at or near the center of the human story for thousands of years. It was the home of the Hittite empire some 3,300 years ago, and afterward its Aegean coast was part of Classical Greece. Not only was Anatolia a key component of the Roman Empire, but Byzantium — based in what is now Istanbul — was Rome’s immediate political, cultural, religious and economic successor. That entity in turn was succeeded by the Ottomans, who crafted what was at the time the world’s greatest empire(...)
For about half of the past two millennia, Anatolia has commanded the world’s most powerful economic and military forces.

The bottom line is this: Any time in human history that the Anatolian Peninsula has not been a leading force in geopolitics has been an aberration. The land that links Europe to the Eurasian steppe to the mountains of Asia to the Mediterranean basin and the deserts of Arabia is geographically destined to play a major role on the global stage.

 

[ekrem]

In 21st century, it will host NATO's radar systems of the missile shield.

 

[ekrem]

Turkey and Iran are different. Their core lands are mountainous regions — the Anatolian Peninsula for Asia Minor and the Zagros Mountains of Persia. Even though the Turks are not original descendants of their their Anatolian power base, they were able to secure their central lands when they swept in as conquerors a millennium ago and have since destroyed or assimilated most of the natives. The Persians ruled through a dizzyingly complex system of interconnected elites that succeeded in instilling a common Persian culture that extended somewhat beyond mere ethnicity, all while keeping the base of power in the Persians’ hands.

But that is where the similarities end. As these two states both return to prominence, it is almost inevitable that Turkey that will fare better than Iran, simply because the Turks enjoy the advantage of geography. Anatolia is a plateau surrounded by water on three sides and enjoys the blessing of the Golden Horn, which transforms the well-positioned city of Istanbul into one of the world’s best — and certainly most strategically located — ports. Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, the Balkans and the Islamic world, the former Soviet Union and the Mediterranean Basin. The result is a culture not only incredibly aware of international events, but one steeped in trade whether via its land connections or —by virtue of being a peninsula — maritime trade. Unsurprisingly, for a good chunk of the past 2,000 years, Anatolia — whether under the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantines or most recently under the Turks themselves — has been at or near the center of human development.

By comparison, Iran got shortchanged. Although Iran has water on two sides, it has a minimal maritime tradition. Its plateau is a salt desert. The Caspian Sea is landlocked and boasts no major population centers aside from Baku — the capital of another country with a hostile ethnic group. The Persian Gulf coast of Iran is not only lightly populated, but it is easy for powers on the gulf’s southern coast to block Iranian water access to the wider world. While Anatolia has a number of regions that are well watered — even though it does not have many rivers — Persia is predominately an arid region.

The Turks also enjoy demographic advantages. Only one-fifth of Turkey’s population is non-Turkish, while roughly half of Iran is non-Persian. Iran requires a large army simply to maintain rule at home, while Turkey has the relative freedom to expend resources on power projection tools such as an air force and navy.

Free Article for Non-Members | STRATFOR

 

[ekrem]

The only thing that misses is:
Oil and Gas within the territory of post-1923 Turkey, and a much much bigger population base.

Despite this shortcoming, we made the economy the biggest and fastest growing of this area.
As good as it gets with 4 military coups, being a lackey of USA during Cold-War, being belligerent a long time with our neighbours, and that we couldn't trade with them due to sanctions (Iraq), and our neighbours being economical failed states.

Now, the chances are very good, that we will also have Oil and Gas and become energy independent.

A big chunk of this money we will probably still 'lose', as Turkish Petroleum says, we will become energy-dependent in 2023.

Unfortunately, the defeat in WW1 has left us without Oil fields unlike our neighbours.

 

[ekrem]

 

[ekrem]

 

[ekrem]

 

[ekrem]