Türkiye to explore oil and gas off Somalia coast

ISTANBUL

Türkiye has signed a deal with Somalia for hydrocarbon exploration in three blocks in the Somalian offshore.

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On July 18, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar attended the signing ceremony for the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Agreement held in Istanbul, along with Somalian Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Abdirizak Omar Mohamed.

Under the agreement, Türkiye will have the exclusive rights to explore and produce hydrocarbon in three blocks each representing an area of 5,000 square kilometers, Bayraktar said.

Two of the blocks are about 50 kilometers offshore and the other one is 100 kilometers from the shore.

“We are sending the Oruç Reis ship to this region at the end of September, early October,” Bayraktar said.

The Turkish vessel will conduct a ‘very important seismic research that will last for months,’ which could lead exploration, drilling and possibly a discovery, the minister added.

Describing the deal as “a historic step” for both countries, Bayraktar said that Oruç Reis will travel with a 50-person crew along with five support vessels to Somalia.

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“Hopefully, once the production starts, it will be beneficial for both countries. It will also help the relationship between the two countries as well,” Abdirizak Omar Mohamed said for his part.

Earlier this week, Türkiye and Niger signed a declaration of intent to cooperate in the field of oil and natural gas.

The declaration was announced by Bayraktar following a series of high-level meetings between Turkish and Nigerian officials in Niamey.

The Turkish delegation also included Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler.