Legal Status of Offshore Energy Installations

Yıl 2022, Cilt: 5 Sayı: 2, 1 - 24, 25.11.2023

İsmail Demir

Öz

Since the beginning of the 20th century, oil and natural gas have been used intensively as an energy sources. About one-third of the world’s energy supply comes from the offshore sector. The legal status of offshore installations is important because it may have different legal and practical consequences depending on a particular situation. If an offshore installation would be considered to be a ship, it would be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the flag State. On the other hand as it will be evaluated to be an installation, it would be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the coastal State. Offshore installations are very complex structures and have different types, shapes, sizes and configurations. On the other hand, there is no uniform definition of ship or vessel in international law. For those reasons, it is difficult to determine their legal status. Their legal status is inevitably evaluated by the provisions of each applicable international convention or law. Damages caused by offshore installations are increasing and diversifying. Accordingly, the determination of their legal status has been even more important. The ideal solution is the adoption of a stand-alone international convention on offshore installations, but this seems unlikely to be in the short term. Türkiye has recently accelerated offshore activities to meet its increasing energy needs. There are no specific regulations with regard to offshore installations under the Turkish law. There is an urgent need to regulate offshore installations specifically to fill this gap under Turkish law, and also enact a law on maritime jurisdictional zones without delay.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Offshore Installations, Oil and Natural Gas, Seabed, Legal Liability, Delimitation of Maritime Zones of Jurisdictions

Kıyı Ötesi Enerji Tesislerinin Hukuki Statüsü

Öz

20. Yüzyılın başlarından itibaren enerji kaynağı olarak petrol ve doğal gaz yoğun şekilde kullanılmaktadır. Dünya enerji tedarikinin yaklaşık üçte biri kıyı ötesi sektöründen karşılanmaktadır. Kıyı ötesi tesislerin hukuki mahiyetleri, belirli bir olayda farklı hukuki ve pratik sonuçları sebebiyle önem taşımaktadır. Bir kıyı ötesi tesisi, gemi kabul edildiği takdirde bayrak devletinin münhasır yetkisine tabi olacak iken, bir tesis olarak değerlendirildiği takdirde, kıyı devletinin münhasır yetkisi içinde kalacaktır. Kıyı ötesi tesisler, çok karmaşık yapılardır; bunların farklı türleri, şekilleri, hacimleri ve görünüşleri vardır. Diğer yandan milletlerarası hukukta yeknesak bir gemi tanımı mevcut değildir. Bu sebeple, onların hukuki statüsünü kesin olarak tayin etmek oldukça güçtür. Hukuki statünün tayini, uygulanacak her bir milletlerarası sözleşme veya kanun hükümlerindeki tercihe bağlıdır. Kıyı tesislerin yol açtığı zararlar giderek artmakta ve farklılaşmaktadır. Dolayısıyla, kıyı ötesi tesislerin hukuki statüsünün belirlenmesi, daha da önem kazanmıştır. İdeal çözüm, kıyı ötesi tesislere dair müstakil bir milletlerarası sözleşmenin kabulü olmakla birlikte, kısa vadede bu mümkün gözükmemektedir. Türkiye, son yıllarda artan enerji ihtiyacını karşılamak için kıyı ötesi tesislerin faaliyetlerini artırmıştır. Türk hukukunda kıyı ötesi tesislere ilişkin özel düzenlemeler bulunmamaktadır. Türkiye, bu eksikliği kapatmak için kıyı ötesi tesisleri müstakilen düzenlemeli, ayrıca deniz yetki alanlarını düzenleyen bir kanunu hızla yürürlüğe koymalıdır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kıyı Ötesi Tesisler, Petrol ve Doğal Gaz, Deniz Yatağı, Hukuki Sorumluluk, Deniz Yetki Alanlarının Sınırlandırılması

Kaynakça

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