{"id":15490,"date":"2026-01-07T05:58:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T05:58:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/?p=15490"},"modified":"2026-01-07T05:58:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T05:58:09","slug":"somalia-turkiye-to-begin-offshore-drilling-at-the-horn-of-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/somalia-turkiye-to-begin-offshore-drilling-at-the-horn-of-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"SOMALIA: T\u00fcrkiye to Begin Offshore Drilling at the Horn of Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

T\u00fcrkiye is set to begin offshore drilling operations in Somalia in a move that could mark a turning point for the country\u2019s upstream oil and gas sector. The development follows the successful conclusion of a three-day Technical Committee Meeting between the Somali Petroleum Authority (SPA) and Turkish Petroleum Company (TPAO) held in Mogadishu from October 10 to 12, 2025, signaling Somalia\u2019s transition from seismic studies to drilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The high-level meeting, co-chaired by Eng. Abdulqadir Aden, Chairman of SPA, and Korhan Akin, Director of the Somalia\u2013T\u00fcrkiye Petroleum Project, brought together senior technical experts to review exploration progress, exchange geological data and align strategies ahead of drilling. According to SPA, seismic acquisition and processing have been completed, with data interpretation now in its final stages to identify optimal drilling locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discussions focused on Blocks 142, 152 and 153, with emphasis on seismic interpretation, basin analysis and subsurface modeling to reduce exploration risks and improve decision-making. The committee also addressed the establishment of robust Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) systems, financial planning frameworks and capacity-building initiatives to ensure operations meet international petroleum industry standards. Somalia’s\u00a0Blocks 142, 152, and 153\u00a0are offshore oil and gas exploration areas located in the\u00a0Obbia Basin\u00a0off the coast of the Galmudug state. These blocks are currently licensed to Turkish Petroleum (TPAO) for exploration.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move toward drilling builds on an inter-governmental cooperation agreement signed on March 7, 2024, under which T\u00fcrkiye and Somalia agreed to collaborate on the exploration and development of offshore and onshore oil and gas resources. The agreement covers exploration, production, transportation, refining and marketing, laying the foundation for future production-sharing arrangements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has described the planned offshore drilling as potentially \u201cgame-changing\u201d for the region. The operation will be conducted in ultra-deep waters off Somalia\u2019s coast using T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s drillship Cagri Bey, marking its first overseas deep-sea drilling campaign, expected to commence in February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As Somalia advances toward drilling, the partnership with T\u00fcrkiye underscores a strategic effort to responsibly develop hydrocarbon resources, strengthen governance and unlock long-term economic growth for the country.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

T\u00fcrkiye is set to begin offshore drilling operations in Somalia in a move that could mark a turning point for the country\u2019s upstream oil and gas sector. The development follows … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":15491,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7442,7443,11],"tags":[12277,12278,12279,12276,12281,12280,10207,12275],"class_list":["post-15490","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-countries","category-eastern-africa","category-top-news","tag-block-142","tag-block-152","tag-block-153","tag-cagri-bey","tag-galmudug-state","tag-obbia-basin","tag-somali-petroleum-authority","tag-turkish-petroleum-company","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Turkey-Somalia.png?fit=760%2C500&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5JWkQ-41Q","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":15691,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/turkish-drilling-ship-set-to-arrive-in-somalia-waters-on-friday\/","url_meta":{"origin":15490,"position":0},"title":"Turkish Drilling Ship Set to Arrive in Somalia Waters on Friday","author":"Samuel Kamau Mbote","date":"April 6, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"T\u00fcrkiye is set to begin its first offshore drilling operation in Somalia, with its deep-water drilling vessel \u00c7a\u011fr\u0131 Bey expected to arrive off the country\u2019s coast on Friday marking a pivotal moment in both nations\u2019 energy ambitions. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar confirmed that he will travel to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Countries"","block_context":{"text":"Countries","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/countries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Turkey-Somalia.png?fit=760%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Turkey-Somalia.png?fit=760%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Turkey-Somalia.png?fit=760%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Turkey-Somalia.png?fit=760%2C500&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8016,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/tgs-welcomes-somalias-ratification-of-the-petroleum-law-in-somalia\/","url_meta":{"origin":15490,"position":1},"title":"TGS welcomes Somalia\u2019s ratification of the Petroleum Law","author":"","date":"February 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0Federal Republic of Somalia\u00a0has confirmed that the country\u2019s\u00a0Petroleum Law\u00a0has been ratified by His Excellency,\u00a0President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.\u00a0The Presidential Ratification is a landmark moment in the development of Somalia\u2019s natural resources, which will be transformational for the country\u2019s development. Somalia has the potential to become one of the most significant plays\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Top News"","block_context":{"text":"Top News","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/top-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Somalia-Licensing-Round-2.jpg?fit=511%2C730&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":11880,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/somalia-coastline-exploration-signs-seven-production-sharing-agreements\/","url_meta":{"origin":15490,"position":2},"title":"SOMALIA: Coastline Exploration Signs Seven PSA’s Amid Rejection from President and PM","author":"","date":"February 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Coastline Exploration has signed seven Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) covering offshore, deep-water blocks of the Federal Republic of\u00a0Somalia. These PSAs enable Coastline to proceed with plans to explore for oil and gas on the many prospects and leads identified in these offshore blocks. The announcement was confirmed by Somalia's Minister\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Countries"","block_context":{"text":"Countries","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/countries\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Somalia-licensing-round.png?fit=601%2C390&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Somalia-licensing-round.png?fit=601%2C390&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Somalia-licensing-round.png?fit=601%2C390&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8206,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/somalia-launches-first-offshore-licensing-round\/","url_meta":{"origin":15490,"position":3},"title":"Somalia Launches First Offshore Licensing Round","author":"","date":"May 18, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"The Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Federal Republic of Somalia announces the launching of Somalia\u2019s first offshore licensing round. Due to the spread of the global pandemic, COVID \u2013 19, and resulting restrictions, the Ministry decided to launch the licensing round virtually. The 2020 Somali licensing round\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Eastern Africa"","block_context":{"text":"Eastern Africa","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/countries\/eastern-africa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/somalia-seismic.jpg?fit=654%2C422&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/somalia-seismic.jpg?fit=654%2C422&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/somalia-seismic.jpg?fit=654%2C422&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2528,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/horn-petroleum-halts-exploration-puntland-somalia\/","url_meta":{"origin":15490,"position":4},"title":"Horn Petroleum halts exploration in Puntland, Somalia","author":"","date":"February 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Horn Petroleum Corporation\u00a0a subsidiary of Africa Oil has said it will significantly reduce its activities in its Dharoor and Nugaal PSC areas pending a resolution of the political situation between the Regional Government of Puntland and the Federal Government of Somalia regarding the legitimacy of oil concession contracts. The company\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Top News"","block_context":{"text":"Top News","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/top-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/puntlandoil.jpg?fit=640%2C423&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/puntlandoil.jpg?fit=640%2C423&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/07\/puntlandoil.jpg?fit=640%2C423&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2072,"url":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/insecurity-political-issues-continue-to-haunt-exploration-in-puntland-somalia\/","url_meta":{"origin":15490,"position":5},"title":"Insecurity, Political issues continue to haunt exploration in Puntland, Somalia","author":"Samuel Kamau Mbote","date":"November 20, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"[twitter-follow screen_name='oilnewskenya'] Insecurity continues to paralyze oil and exploration in Puntland with many companies holding back activities until a solution is sought. Just recently Horn Petroleum which holds licenses Puntland\u2019s Dharoor and Nugaal blocks recently told its shareholders it had halted the planned seismic acquisition in the Dharoor Valley area\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Oil Politics"","block_context":{"text":"Oil Politics","link":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/category\/oil-politics\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/dharoor-valley-of-puntland-oil-block.jpg?fit=380%2C306&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15490","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15490"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15490\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15499,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15490\/revisions\/15499"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15491"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15490"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15490"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oilnewskenya.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15490"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}