Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar:

“In three onshore areas covering approximately 16,000 square kilometers, Turkish Petroleum will, God willing, begin oil and gas exploration activities in the coming months.”

“God willing, under the auspices and with the participation of our President, we will organize the International Natural Resources Summit in Istanbul on May 2.”

ANKARA– Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar announced that the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) will begin activities in Somalia in the coming months under a new onshore oil and gas exploration and production agreement signed between the two countries.

The signing ceremony for the “Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Agreement in Somali Onshore Areas between Turkey and Somalia” took place at the Ministry, with the participation of Minister Bayraktar and Somali Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Dahir Shire Mohamed.

Following the ceremony, Bayraktar emphasized that this new agreement adds a new link to the ongoing cooperation in offshore areas, stating:
“With the agreement we just signed in your presence, a partnership has been established between Turkish Petroleum and the Somali Petroleum Authority for onshore fields.”

Bayraktar elaborated on the production-sharing agreement:
“In three onshore areas covering approximately 16,000 square kilometers, Turkish Petroleum will, God willing, commence oil and gas exploration activities in the coming months.”

He added:
“We will begin with seismic studies, and then quickly move on to drilling activities to identify and produce oil and gas fields in those areas. This exemplary cooperation between the two countries will continue to strengthen. We discussed with my esteemed counterpart our next goal—developing tangible mining projects in Somalia.”

Bayraktar expressed hope that the project would significantly contribute to Somalia’s stability and development, as well as regional stability:
“We are already conducting active operations there and will become even more engaged. I hope all our efforts will yield positive results. As Turkey, we stood by Somalia in its worst days. God willing, we will be there in their good days as well.”

Highlighting Turkey’s progress under the National Energy and Mining Policy, Bayraktar said:
“Turkey’s ability to carry out both seismic and drilling operations in different geographies demonstrates the advanced stage of our country’s petroleum sector. Today, we held meetings with the Minister. As I mentioned, we will soon enter a new phase in our relations through mining. The Minister will spend a few days in Turkey and will also visit the Fatih drilling vessel, which will be another significant step.”

• Oruç Reis Completes 78% of Seismic Work

Bayraktar recalled that last year, a production-sharing agreement was signed between the relevant companies of the two countries to develop offshore projects and explore oil resources in Somalia. He noted that the Oruç Reis Seismic Research Vessel began operations in Somalia under this agreement.

Regarding the seismic activities, Bayraktar said:
“Our Oruç Reis vessel is still conducting activities there. We are currently carrying out 3D seismic operations in three offshore areas covering approximately 15,000 square kilometers. The project is 78% complete. God willing, we will finish the seismic work in May and, based on the resulting data, decide on the next phase—drilling.”

• International Natural Resources Summit to be Held

Bayraktar announced that under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the International Natural Resources Summit will be held in Istanbul on May 2:
“There, we aim to bring together ministers and companies from various parts of the world to enhance cooperation in oil, natural gas, and mining sectors in Turkey.”

• Relations Reaching New Levels Through Oil and Gas Exploration

Somali Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Dahir emphasized that today marks a historic day for both countries:
“Turkey is already conducting offshore operations in Somalia. Today, by signing this onshore oil and gas exploration agreement, we are taking our bilateral relations to a new level.”

Dahir expressed hopes to develop Somalia’s domestic resources with Turkey’s support and achieve tangible results for both countries:
“We also aim to establish a partnership in the field of mining. After the necessary legal processes, we expect Turkish mining companies to come to Somalia and sign agreements.”