Turkey will start drilling in a deepwater offshore location in Somalia next month in what would be the country’s first foray in deepwater drilling, Ankara’s energy minister told media today.
Alparslan Bayraktar did not provide details about the drilling program, only noting that the Somalian project would be Turkey’s first deepwater exploration project abroad, according to Reuters. The move follows Turkey and Somalia inking an energy exploration deal in 2024, which fits with Turkey’s energy supply diversification plans and its push to reduce its reliance on imports.
Last month, Bayraktar told media that exploration work in Somalia will be carried out both offshore and onshore, following the conclusion of seismic studies, which began in October last year on behalf of state-owned Turkish Petroleum. The surveys covered three exploration zones, each spanning 5,000 sq km, equal to about 1,930 sq miles.
“We carried out seismic operations this year, and most likely 2026 will be a drilling year for us in Somalia’s offshore region,” Bayraktar said at the time. The official admitted, however, that there were challenges in pursuing oil and gas exploration in Somalia.
“They don’t even have a road to access the area. So, we need to build the relevant infrastructure. Security is another challenge, and we are working to address these issues,” Bayraktar said in December.
Two years ago, one energy analyst estimated that Turkey would need to spend some $500 million on oil and gas exploration in Somalia. The Horn of Africa country has potentially significant oil reserves, estimated at some 30 billion barrels or more, but decades of war and famine have prevented it from exploiting its mineral resources. Several supermajors used to have exploration deals with the Somali government prior to 1991, but following the collapse of said government and the ensuing political and humanitarian crisis, they withdrew from the country. Turkey has been a major investor in Somalia since $2011, making it a focal point of its African policy.
By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com
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