Türkiye to commence oil and natural gas exploration in Somali territories

Türkiye is set to begin oil and natural gas exploration in Somali land areas thanks to a new agreement between Turkish Petroleum and Somali Petroleum Authority, Turkish energy and natural resources minister announced on Friday.

Turkish Petroleum Corporation and Somali Petroleum Authority signed a new agreement for hydrocarbon exploration in land areas, said Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, speaking at the welcoming ceremony at the Port of Mogadishu where the Oruc Reis ship arrived following a 20-day journey from Istanbul.

Türkiye and Somalia are further broadening cooperation in maritime regions, he added.

​​​​​​​Oruc Reis will carry out three-dimensional seismic studies in areas off the coast of Somalia. The mission is expected to last approximately six months and will involve collecting seismic data for both oil and natural gas. This data will be analyzed in the Turkish capital Ankara to identify potential drilling sites.

Earlier on Friday, Bayraktar met with Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the Turkish minister posted on X, sharing photos from the meeting. Ties between Türkiye and Somalia ‘are getting stronger every day with the projects we jointly develop,’ Bayraktar shared on X.

‘We want to contribute to the welfare of the Somali people and strengthen our friendship by investing not only in oil and gas but also in mining and electricity sectors,’ he said.

The Turkish minister was also received by the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

Since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s historic visit to Somalia in 2011, ‘our bilateral relations have gained significant momentum,’ Bayraktar said in a separate post on X. ‘Now, with the launch of our Oruc Reis ship, we are entering a new phase of partnership,’ he added.

Earlier this year, Türkiye and Somalia signed memorandums of understanding between their ministries and governments. Under these agreements, Turkish Petroleum, Türkiye’s national oil company, obtained licenses for three offshore areas in Somali waters. The ministry plans to conduct seismic surveys across the three licensed zones, each covering roughly 5,000 square kilometers.

Türkiye, a close ally of the Horn of Africa nation, has invested in the country’s education, infrastructure and health and provided extensive humanitarian aid through the years.

• Somali Petroleum Authority
• Turkish Energy
• Turkish Petroleum