Turkish President Says Somali Oil Drilling Could Be Completed in 9 Months

GOOBJOOG NEWS|ANKARA: Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has described Türkiye’s offshore oil and gas exploration activities along Somalia’s coast as a historic mission, saying it marks the first deep-sea drilling operation carried out by Türkiye outside its own territory.

Speaking about the ongoing operation, Erdoğan said the exploration and drilling activities could be completed within six to nine months if weather and sea conditions remain favorable.

“The operations we are conducting off the coast of Somalia are historically significant, as they represent Türkiye’s first deep-sea exploration drilling mission abroad. If climate and weather conditions permit, we expect to complete the drilling operation within six to nine months,” the Turkish leader said.

The Turkish president also expressed hope that Somalis would soon receive positive news from the project, noting that Somalia has suffered decades of conflict, instability, drought and economic hardship.

The operation is part of a rapidly expanding strategic partnership between Somalia and Türkiye in the areas of energy, maritime security, defense and economic cooperation.

The latest phase of cooperation began on February 8, 2024, when the two countries signed a Defense and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in Ankara, paving the way for increased Turkish involvement in Somalia’s maritime security and economic sectors.

On March 7, 2024, Somalia and Türkiye signed an intergovernmental oil and natural gas cooperation agreement in Istanbul covering both onshore and offshore exploration blocks. The agreement granted Turkish entities rights to explore, assess and potentially produce hydrocarbons in Somali territory and offshore waters.

In July 2024, the two sides signed a Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Agreement giving Türkiye’s state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) exploration rights in three offshore blocks covering approximately 15,000 square kilometers in Somali waters.

Türkiye later deployed the seismic research vessel Oruç Reis, which departed Istanbul on October 5, 2024, and later arrived off the Somali coast to begin three-dimensional seismic surveys aimed at identifying potential oil and gas reserves in the licensed offshore areas.

In October 2024, TPAO and the Somali Petroleum Authority signed an additional agreement covering onshore hydrocarbon exploration, further expanding Turkish energy operations inside Somalia.

Türkiye has emerged as one of Somalia’s closest allies over the past decade, investing heavily in infrastructure, humanitarian assistance, education, trade and military cooperation. Ankara also operates its largest overseas military training base in Mogadishu, where Somali security forces receive training and support.