Somalia has announced that it is prepared to move ahead with its first offshore oil drilling operations, marking a significant development in its energy sector ambitions. A Turkish government-owned drilling ship is expected to arrive off the country’s coast on Friday, signalling the start of what would be Somalia’s first offshore oil drilling campaign. The step follows the successful completion of seismic surveys conducted last year by a Turkish research vessel, which helped identify promising offshore prospects. Officials have framed the development as a pivotal moment, with Somalia’s Petroleum Minister Dahir Shire stating in a post on X that the campaign is a “historic milestone” in the journey of the country towards securing offshore energy assets.
The operation will be led by the Turkish Petroleum Corporation’s drilling ship, Çağrı Bey, which is embarking on its first international assignment as it heads into Somalia’s territorial waters in the Arabian Sea. The vessel is tasked with conducting deep water drilling at sites identified through recent surveys that mapped the country’s hydrocarbon potential. Highlighting the significance of this phase, Shire said, “This signals Somalia’s readiness to move into exploratory drilling, beginning with our most promising offshore prospects,” underlining the country’s intent to advance its first offshore oil drilling efforts. He also noted that authorities would work to ensure the outcomes of the first offshore oil drilling initiative translate into broader national prosperity and improvements in living standards.
Somalia’s foreign ministry indicated that successful drilling could unlock offshore oil reserves and contribute to the country’s economic recovery, positioning it as a regional energy player. Cooperation between Turkey and Somalia was formalised in 2024 through a production-sharing agreement, laying the groundwork for the current campaign. On Monday, Somali Foreign Minister Ali Omar said the initiative would reinforce Turkey’s role as a “trusted long-term partner” in development. Meanwhile, Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, speaking on Saturday ahead of his planned visit, said that any discovery of oil or gas reserves would deliver significant economic benefits to Somalia, East Africa and Turkey.
Turkey has steadily expanded its engagement with Somalia over more than a decade, including increased investment and a growing military presence, where it already operates a major base established in 2017. Despite estimates suggesting the country holds billions of barrels of oil reserves, exploration has long been constrained by decades of conflict and political instability. The launch of first offshore oil drilling is therefore seen as a crucial step toward unlocking this potential and reshaping Somalia’s economic trajectory.
