Türkiye has taken a decisive step in its bid to become a major player in the global energy arena, dispatching its deep-sea drillship Çağrı Bey to Somalia for its first overseas mission.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar described the move as a “historic step” in the country’s offshore energy drive during a ceremony at Taşucu Port in Mersin on Feb. 15.
The vessel is expected to arrive in Mogadishu in approximately 45 days and commence drilling at the Curad-1 well in April.
Türkiye and Somalia signed agreements in 2024 covering onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration. The seismic vessel Oruc Reis previously completed surveys in three offshore blocks.
Bayraktar emphasized that this milestone marks a new era for Türkiye’s energy strategy. “With the launch of intercontinental operations through Çağrı Bey, we are advancing the goal we set in 2016 to conduct offshore exploration with our own ships and personnel. Today, we are taking that ambition further by intensifying exploration abroad, both through partnerships and independent efforts,” he said.
Since the beginning of 2026, Türkiye has signed strategic agreements with ExxonMobil, Chevron, and BP in oil and gas exploration. Another international offshore partnership is expected to be announced this week, Bayraktar said.
With the addition of Çağrı Bey and Yıldırım, Türkiye’s fleet now includes six drillships, alongside seismic vessels Oruç Reis and Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa, making it the world’s fourth-largest offshore exploration fleet.
Türkiye’s overseas expansion is not limited to Somalia. Bayraktar confirmed that seismic studies will be conducted in Pakistan’s maritime zones this year using Oruç Reis or Barbaros Hayrettin Paşa.
In Libya, Türkiye has secured exploration rights in two fields — one offshore and one onshore — through a licensing round held last week. These projects will be pursued in partnership with Spanish energy company Repsol, with Türkiye holding a 40 percent stake in both.
Looking ahead, Türkiye aims for its national oil company to reach production of around 500,000 barrels of oil and gas per day by 2028, with a longer-term target of 1 million barrels per day.
Bayraktar underscored that these initiatives form part of Türkiye’s broader strategy to strengthen energy independence while positioning itself as a significant global energy actor.
