Ankara, Turkey – April 10, 2025:

Somalia is now attempting to extract oil from the land following its offshore oil agreement with Turkey.

Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, announced that Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) will begin oil and gas exploration in three key onshore fields in Somalia in the coming months.

The strategic agreement, signed by TPAO and the Somali Petroleum Authority (SPA) in Turkey’s capital, Ankara, outlines the exploration and production of hydrocarbons in an area covering approximately 16,000 square kilometers of land.

Bayraktar explained that the first phase of the project will involve seismic surveys, both two and three-dimensional, which, if successful, will lead to the commencement of drilling operations.

Offshore, Turkey’s seismic ship, Oruc Reis, is currently conducting three-dimensional seismic studies off the coast of Somalia as part of a previous agreement. The minister noted that 78% of the offshore work has been completed, and all marine studies are expected to be finished by the end of May.

Bayraktar also announced that Istanbul will host the International Natural Resources Summit on May 2, where ministers and global companies will gather to strengthen cooperation, particularly in the oil, gas, and mining sectors.