Shareholders voted in favour of the re-branding and name change at a general meeting last Friday.

In an investor presentation, the company said the move was about promoting itself as an “international oil and gas player, rather than a small gas explorer in Turkey”.

When Ottoman floated in December 2004, its focus was very much on the onshore Thrace Basin in Turkey. The company discovered gas in its first Turkish exploration well – Bati Umur-1 – last December and plans to run more seismic surveys and drill two more wells in this block in the fourth quarter of this year.

Early last year, the company added offshore Philippine acreage to its portfolio, followed in November by a 32.48% stake in an Argentinean block.