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Türkiye will deploy a drilling vessel to Somalia in February to carry out its first deepwater oil and natural gas exploration project abroad, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Wednesday.
Bayraktar said operations with the drilling ship Cagri Bey will focus on offshore areas in Somali waters, but did not disclose details on potential reserves or the size of the investment.
“2026 will be the year we usher in a new era in oil and natural gas exploration,” Bayraktar said.
“We will share the good news with our nation through our efforts," he added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this week that Türkiye’s Oruc Reis seismic research vessel conducted research activities in Somali maritime areas for nine months, underscoring the deepening energy cooperation between Ankara and Mogadishu.
Speaking at a joint news conference Tuesday in Istanbul with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Erdogan said Türkiye has added two new deep-sea drilling ships to its fleet.
“The first of these two vessels, which we have named Cagri Bey and Yildirim, will operate off the coast of Somalia, and the other in the Black Sea,” Erdogan said.
With the addition of the new ships, Türkiye now has the world’s fourth-largest deepwater drilling fleet, he added.
Erdogan said Türkiye plans to begin drilling operations in 2026, noting that the activities are expected to make significant contributions to the well-being of the Somali people.
Türkiye signed an energy exploration agreement with Somalia in 2024 as part of efforts to diversify its energy sources and reduce reliance on imports, investing in exploration projects both domestically and abroad.
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Erdogan also said a separate agreement on fisheries has added a new dimension to bilateral cooperation. Under the deal, Türkiye will support Somalia’s technical capacity and contribute to efforts to combat illegal fishing.
In addition, Erdogan said Türkiye plans to establish a spaceport in Somalia.
“Within the framework of the agreements we have signed, we envision establishing a spaceport in Somalia,” he said, adding that the first phase of the three-stage project has been designed and construction has begun through the Turkish Space Agency.
The projects reflect Türkiye’s expanding economic, energy and technological engagement with Somalia, officials say.
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