Turkey is planning to start drilling for natural gas off the coast of Cyprus “in the near future”, Turkish Petroleum Corporation (Tpao) research and development centre department head Muhammet Fatih Ayyildiz said on Tuesday.

Speaking to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, he spoke of how the country “needs to continue our activities abroad to meet our energy deficit”.

“Our activities abroad continue under the leadership of our ministry in accordance with our energy policies. We are planning to start activities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and off the coast of Libya in the near future, God willing,” he said.

He added that at present, Tpao has four drilling ships and two seismic vessels – ships which are solely used for the purpose of seismic surveys – in its fleet.

“Our seismic ship the Oruc Reis is in Somalia, and the Barbaros Hayrettin Pasa is continuing its active exploration in the Black Sea. In addition, our ships the Fatih, the Yavuz, the Kanuni, and the Abdulhamit Han are continuing their exploration and productive activities in the Black Sea, and are not slowing down,” he said.

The announcement of planned drilling activities comes days after Greece revealed its maritime spatial planning map, outlining its maritime claims in the Ionian, Aegean and Mediterranean seas.

The matter of the map and the issue of maritime claims is one which has strained relations between Greece and Turkey in recent years.

Turkey’s foreign ministry issued its own response to the map, saying that “some of the areas in the maritime spatial planning declared by Greece in accordance with European Union legislation violate our country’s maritime jurisdiction areas in the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean”.

In addition, the lack of Turkish presence in the sea when American multinational corporation ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy began drilling in Block 5 of the Republic of Cyprus’ claimed exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in January drew the ire of Turkish MPs at the time, who criticised their country’s government for a perceived lack of action.

Ruling AK Party deputy leader Leyla Sahin Usta explained that according to maritime claims recognised by the Turkish government, Block 5 belongs to Egypt and not Turkey, and that thus it is not Turkey’s place to protest against or attempt to stop ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy’s operations.

“According to our Blue Homeland map, this is within Egypt’s continental shelf,” she said.

However, opposition MPs were less than convinced, with Iyi Party deputy leader Turhan Comez among the many to register his distaste.

“The area being drilled belongs to Turkey. Where are our boats? Why can we not see the ‘Blue Homeland’ doctrine on the ground? Tell the truth to parliament and to the public. The Greek Cypriots are drilling in the TRNC’s territorial waters and we are just sat here watching,” he said.