Türkiye's TPAO wins two blocks in Libya's oil and gas licensing round

TRIPOLI

Türkiye's state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) won two blocks, one onshore and one offshore, in Libya's oil and gas licensing round, launched for the first time in 17 years.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, Oil and Gas Minister Khalifa Abdulsadek and National Oil Corporation (NOC) Chairman Masoud Suleman attended the ceremony announcing the tender results, along with representatives from various international energy companies.

The NOC Tender Committee announced that the onshore C3 block was awarded to TPAO and Spain's Repsol, while the offshore O7 block went to TPAO, Repsol and Hungary-based oil and gas company MOL.

NOC last year announced the tender for oil and natural gas exploration and production in 22 blocks, including 11 onshore and 11 offshore, the first in 17 years.

A total of 22 blocks were offered in the bid round, covering a combined area of 235,267 square kilometers offshore and onshore.

The blocks are estimated to hold 1.63 billion barrels of oil equivalent in discovered reserves.

Libya is currently producing around 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil and gas, the highest level in 10 years, and aims to raise output to 1.6 million bpd by the end of 2026 and to 2 million bpd at a later stage.

Türkiye and Libya have strengthened their energy cooperation in recent years through strategic agreements on maritime boundaries and hydrocarbon exploration.

In 2019, a maritime deal between Ankara and Libya's Tripoli-based government enabled joint offshore exploration, while a 2022 agreement expanded cooperation to onshore and offshore oil and gas projects.

Under a memorandum of understanding signed in June 2025, TPAO is also set to carry out geological and geophysical studies in four offshore blocks in Libya, including 10,000 kilometers of two-dimensional seismic surveys.