Turkey will resume natural gas exploration in the Mediterranean on August 9, Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez said, according to Ahval.

"The recently acquired drilling vessel Abdülhamid Han has a mandate to start operations within the maritime jurisdiction of Turkey," Dönmez said in a TV interview with Haber Global on Tuesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will announce details of where the ship will explore for gas at a ceremony in the southern port of Tasuku to mark the start of work, Dönmez said.