In a strategic move that signals Turkey’s growing appetite for offshore energy assets, Turkish Petroleum (TPAO), the state-owned oil and gas giant, is preparing to enter Pakistan’s offshore exploration sector with force. Teaming up with three of Pakistan’s leading energy players — Oil & Gas Development Company (OGDC), Mari Energies, and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) — the company plans to jointly bid for high-potential acreage in the country’s upcoming offshore licensing round.
The bid round, scheduled to launch on 30 June 2025, will offer 40 blocks in Pakistan’s frontier offshore areas. The partnership, formalized during the recent Pakistan Minerals Summit in Islamabad, reflects a significant milestone in regional energy collaboration and a fresh chapter in TPAO’s aggressive international expansion strategy.
This development follows a string of overseas initiatives by TPAO, including recent seismic data acquisition campaigns offshore Somalia and a separate onshore exploration agreement in the East African nation. The company’s deployment of a 3D seismic vessel in the Horn of Africa region earlier this year underscores its ambition to carve a stronger presence across untapped offshore territories.
For Pakistan, the collaboration represents renewed momentum in its quest to unlock offshore reserves, attract foreign investment, and reduce its heavy dependence on imported energy. For TPAO, the alliance strengthens its foothold in South Asia — a frontier where new discoveries could reshape the regional energy balance.
If successful, the bids could open the door to deepwater exploration in previously underexplored basins, potentially unveiling a new hydrocarbon province in the Arabian Sea.
SOURCE: Oilspot Suriname