Somalia Set for Historic First Offshore Oil Drilling
Somalia is preparing to launch its first offshore oil drilling campaign, with a Turkish government-owned drillship due to reach waters off the Somali coast on Friday.
Somalia is preparing to launch its first offshore oil drilling campaign, with a Turkish government-owned drillship due to reach waters off the Somali coast on Friday.
The milestone comes after a Turkish research vessel completed seismic surveys last year, laying the groundwork for the next phase of exploration.
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In a post on X, Somalia’s Petroleum Minister Dahir Shire called the advance toward offshore drilling a “historic milestone in our offshore energy journey… A new chapter begins.”
The foreign ministry said a successful campaign could open access to offshore oil reserves and help bolster Somalia’s economic recovery as it seeks a place in the regional energy market.
The Turkish Petroleum Corporation’s drilling ship, Çağrı Bey, is on its first overseas assignment and is heading into Somalia’s territorial waters in the Arabian Sea.
The vessel will conduct deep-water drilling at locations identified through recent surveys that mapped the country’s hydrocarbon potential.
“This signals Somalia’s readiness to move into exploratory drilling, beginning with our most promising offshore prospects,” Shire said.
He said the government would work to ensure that any gains from drilling translate into national prosperity and better living conditions for Somali citizens.
Turkey and Somalia formalised their cooperation in 2024 through a production-sharing agreement.
On Monday, Somali Foreign Minister Ali Omar said the drilling campaign would strengthen Turkey’s position as a “trusted long-term partner” in Somalia’s development.
Speaking on Saturday before his planned trip to Somalia, Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said any discovery of oil or gas would deliver major economic benefits for Somalia, East Africa and Turkey.
Ankara has steadily expanded its footprint in Somalia over the past decade, investing heavily in the country and increasing its military presence in recent years. Turkey already operates a major base there, established in 2017.
Researchers estimate Somalia may hold billions of barrels of oil reserves, but decades of conflict and political instability have long slowed exploration efforts.