Osman Gazi exploded in flames and was sold to us.

On May 29, President  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan  bid farewell to Turkey’s first floating natural gas production platform,  Osman Gazi , from the historic  Dolmabahçe Palace  as it set sail for the  Black Sea . This momentous occasion, marking the anniversary of the  Conquest of Istanbul , was shadowed by questions surrounding the platform’s history and future. Originally built as a crude oil tanker in  1994 , the vessel underwent extensive modifications in  2008  to transform it into a floating production and storage unit.

CHÖMEZ RAISES CONCERNS IN PARLIAMENT

The platform has a controversial history; it experienced a significant explosion in  2015 , leading to repairs that reduced its length by  23.5 meters . Originally sold to an undisclosed buyer for  $125 million , a staggering  4.9 trillion lira , Turkey later acquired it.  Turhan Çömez , the Deputy Group Leader of the  Good Party , brought this issue to the  Turkish Grand National Assembly , questioning whether Turkey had “purchased a wreck.” He submitted a proposal requiring a response from  Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar , prompting further scrutiny.

NATURAL GAS LEAK ACCIDENT

“The vessel’s inaugural destination was in the  Camamu-Almada  and  Camarupim  areas offshore  Brazil . On  February 11, 2015 , it suffered a catastrophic explosion, which resulted in the deaths of  nine workers  and injuries to  26 others . The explosion was caused by a natural gas leak in the aft pump room, prompting the vessel to be repaired in  Singapore ,” he stated.

WHAT IS THE REAL COST?

Çömez pressed Minister Bayraktar for clarity: “It has been expressed that the platform will commence operations in  2026 . What are the reasons for the delays? What is the rationale behind acquiring a platform that has not been operational for ten years and sustained significant damage from an explosion? What is the financial cost to Turkey? The Norwegian and Singaporean firm  BW Offshore  announced on the Oslo Stock Exchange that the platform was sold for  $125 million . How much did Turkey actually pay for it?”

A 30-Year Transformation Story

The Osman Gazi was constructed in  1994  by  Samsung Heavy  in  South Korea  under the name  MV Almirante Câmara  as a crude oil tanker. In  2008 , it underwent retrofitting by  Saipem  at the  Sembawang Shipyard  in  Singapore , modifying it to a floating production, storage, and offloading unit. The tragic explosion on  February 11, 2015  resulted in major casualties and loss of life.

Are Millions of Dollars Going Down the Drain for Rent-Seeking?

In an interview with  Sözcü , Çömez expressed his concerns: “The vessel is over  30 years old . Originally built as a crude oil tanker, it was later modified for floating production storage. Have we really purchased an incapable wreck that suffered significant damages? This is a vessel that has been cut down by  23.5 meters . Inspections after the explosion revealed significant shortcomings. Why are we acquiring such a vessel?”

He continued, “The platform comes with a  five-year  maintenance guarantee for Turkey—what happens after that? Who is responsible? What was the actual cost to Turkey? Did a similar firm purchase this wreck for a pittance and sell it to the  Ministry of Energy , or will it be managed by a private company and extract large sums from the state? Are we wasting millions of dollars in the name of rent-seeking and political public relations?”