Türkiye, Somalia signed onshore oil and gas exploration deal

The Turkish Petroleum Corporation and the Somali Petroleum Authority signed an onshore hydrocarbon exploration and production agreement in Ankara, Türkiye.

The agreement was signed following a meeting between Somalia's Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Dahir Shire Mohamed, and Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar.

"We took a new step that will take the partnership between Türkiye and Somalia in the field of energy to a new stage and reinforce our strategic cooperation," - Bayraktar stated.

Under the agreement, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) will conduct two- and three-dimensional seismic exploration activities across three onshore blocks in Somalia, covering a total area of 16,000 square kilometers. Drilling operations will commence based on the data gathered from these studies.

Minister Bayraktar emphasized that Turkey continues its exploration activities in Somalia not only on land but also at sea. He noted that 78 percent of the three-dimensional seismic surveys conducted by the Oruç Reis Seismic Research Vessel—deployed to the Somali coast in October—have been completed across three offshore blocks, covering approximately 15,000 square kilometers.

“We expect to complete the seismic studies in May,” Bayraktar stated. “Our decision regarding the drilling phase will be based on the data obtained from these surveys,” - he said and added that this development aims to further enhance energy diplomacy between the two nations and to assess Somalia’s energy potential through international cooperation.

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