Türkiye is accelerating the international expansion of its oil and gas industry through partnerships spanning the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Central Asia, as it seeks to transform Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) into a global energy company capable of producing 1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said.
In an exclusive interview with Anadolu, Bayraktar said Türkiye is expanding its energy presence through partnerships onshore and offshore, from Kirkuk to Somalia, Libya to Oman, and Azerbaijan to Hungary.
He said Türkiye’s overseas energy investments aim not only to increase oil and natural gas production but also to bring Turkish technical expertise, technology, capital and operational capabilities to international markets.
At the center of the strategy is the goal of transforming TPAO into an international energy company with daily hydrocarbon production of 1 million barrels of oil equivalent, Bayraktar said.
TPAO’s combined domestic and international production currently stands at around 330,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and is expected to approach 600,000 barrels per day by 2028 as output from the Sakarya Gas Field increases, he added.
– Iraq and Kirkuk mark first major step in international expansion
Bayraktar said one of the most significant steps in TPAO’s international expansion strategy was taken in Iraq, while activities in Somalia represent one of the clearest examples of Türkiye’s overseas hydrocarbon exploration strategy.
He said TPAO acquired a 15% stake in BP Energy Company of Kirkuk Limited, becoming a partner with bp and ConocoPhillips in the Baba, Avanah, Bai Hassan, Jambur and Khabbaz fields in Kirkuk.
“In the first phase, our goal in these fields, which are estimated to contain more than 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent in hydrocarbon resources, is to develop existing reserves, increase production and explore additional potential,” he said.
“Somalia, meanwhile, is one of the clearest examples of Türkiye’s international hydrocarbon exploration strategy,” he said, adding that Türkiye’s seismic research vessel Oruç Reis conducted seismic surveys in three offshore blocks in Somalia over 234 days.
“Our next-generation drilling vessel Cagri Bey is carrying out Türkiye’s first deep-sea exploration drilling operation abroad at the Curad-1 well off the coast of Somalia,” he added.
Bayraktar noted that production-sharing agreements signed in June paved the way for exploration activities in Libya’s onshore and offshore license areas.
He said the steps taken in Libya aim to take Türkiye-Libya energy cooperation to a new level while strengthening TPAO’s presence in North Africa.
The Oruç Reis seismic research vessel is expected to move to Pakistan after the monsoon season to begin seismic data acquisition, while work is continuing to develop cooperation opportunities in oil and mining in Syria, Bayraktar said.
In Oman, Türkiye has signed a Concession Agreement and Joint Operating Agreement for Block 80, which Bayraktar said would help expand TPAO’s international activities in the Gulf region.
He added that work is also underway to develop new operations in Guinea-Bissau, Angola and Liberia.
– Partnerships broaden Türkiye’s energy reach
Bayraktar said that under an agreement signed on June 1, BOTAŞ, Azerbaijan’s State Oil Company (SOCAR), TotalEnergies and Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) agreed to supply Türkiye with a total of 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Azerbaijan over 15 years starting in 2029.
He said Türkiye has a presence in Iraq, including Kirkuk, and Azerbaijan, where TPAO participates in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli and Shah Deniz projects, as part of its broader international energy strategy.
Bayraktar also noted that TPAO has signed strategic cooperation agreements on natural gas exploration and production with ExxonMobil in January, Chevron in February, bp around the same time and TotalEnergies in April.
He said Türkiye’s activities in Hungary and Bulgaria demonstrate its strategy of deepening integration with European energy markets while contributing to Europe’s energy security.
Under a 2025 agreement with MOL, 3D seismic data acquisition at the Buzsak field has been completed and data evaluation is underway, while 3D seismic surveys at the Tamasi field continue.
He also highlighted joint exploration with Shell at the Khan Tervel field in Bulgaria’s Black Sea as another example of Türkiye’s contribution to European energy security.
Bayraktar said TPAO and KazMunayGas have signed a memorandum of understanding on hydrocarbon exploration and production, as well as a cooperation agreement on oilfield services.
He said the agreements will strengthen Türkiye’s energy presence in Central Asia while expanding TPAO’s technical and operational capabilities in the region.
