Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) is set to welcome the Draco drillship, also known as West Draco, to Türkiye by late September 2025 after brief stops in Namibia and the Canary Islands. The 7th-generation, 12,000-ft capable drillship will undergo preparations ahead of commencing operations with TPAO in 2026.
The Draco is one of two drillships – alongside Dorado – recently acquired from Eldorado Drilling. Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, confirmed that one of the units would be ready for operations by January 2026, supporting the nation’s energy ambitions.
Having departed Malaysia, where it had been idle since late 2024, Draco began its transit in July 2025. Meanwhile, sister rig Dorado was moved from Malaysia to Singapore in August 2025 for further preparations.
These acquisitions reinforce TPAO’s growing fleet of modern deepwater assets, strengthening its capability to explore and develop resources in both domestic and international waters.
