Turkey’s state energy company, the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), has signed an agreement with a unit of American oil and natural gas giant ExxonMobil covering new exploration areas in the Black Sea and Mediterranean, a top official announced Thursday.
“A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the oil and natural gas sector has been signed between our national oil company, TPAO, and ExxonMobil’s subsidiary, ESSO Exploration International Limited, which covers new exploration areas in the Black Sea and Mediterranean, as well as other potential international areas to be jointly agreed upon,” Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said in a statement on X. “By combining technical capabilities in deep-sea exploration and drilling together with ExxonMobil’s international experience, we aim to enhance our operational effectiveness and pave the way for new discoveries,” he added. Recalling the goal of an energy-independent Turkey, the minister said they are strengthening their institutional capacity “through international cooperation and moving toward transforming into an energy hub for our region.”
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the oil and natural gas sector has been signed between our national oil company TPAO and ExxonMobil affiliate ESSO Exploration International Limited, covering new exploration areas in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, as well as other… pic.twitter.com/UoT4W6sD1s
— Alparslan Bayraktar (@aBayraktar1) January 8, 2026
According to Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah, TPAO General Manager Cem Erdem and ExxonMobil Vice President John Ardill signed the agreement in a ceremony held in Istanbul.
Turkey’s state pipeline operator, BOTAŞ, had signed an agreement with ExxonMobil in 2024 for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Ankara has intensified efforts for exploration and domestic production of both natural gas and oil in recent years, primarily through the flagship Sakarya natural gas field and the Gabar field in the country’s southeast. It has also worked on international cooperation and secured multiple LNG supply agreements from different sources.
