Turkey will conduct its first overseas deepwater exploration project offshore Somalia in the first quarter of 2026, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has said, according to a Reuters report.
Bayraktar said a drilling vessel, Cagri Bey, is expected to sail to Somalia in February for the operation.
In 2024, Turkey signed an energy exploration agreement with Somalia as part of efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce reliance on imports by investing in exploration activities both domestically and abroad.
The minister did not provide detailed information on the drilling programme, noting only that the Somalia project would mark Turkey’s first deepwater exploration venture outside the country.
Last month, Bayraktar told the media that exploration activities in Somalia would be conducted both offshore and onshore following the completion of seismic studies, which began in October last year on behalf of state-owned Turkish Petroleum.
The seismic surveys covered three exploration zones, each spanning about 5,000 square kilometres (approximately 1,930 square 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.
However, he acknowledged that significant challenges remain in pursuing oil and gas exploration in Somalia.
“They don’t even have roads to access the area, so we need to build the necessary infrastructure. Security is another challenge, and we are working to address these issues,” Bayraktar said in December.
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