Mogadishu, (SONNA) – A delegation led by the Federal Minister of Petroleum and Minerals of Somalia, H.E. Daahir Shire Mohamed, conducted an inspection visit today aboard Turkish drilling ships stationed in the Black Sea in preparation for Somalia’s offshore oil exploration.
Accompanied by Somali Petroleum Authority Chairman Abdulqaadir Mohamed and Turkish energy experts, Minister Daahir visited the Fatih, a Turkish deep-sea drilling vessel, where he met with engineers and specialists from Türkiye’s oil exploration team. The vessel is expected to head to Somali waters soon to commence the first phase of offshore drilling operations.
The visit marks a major step forward in Somalia’s energy ambitions, as initial oil exploration—launched in late 2024—is now nearing completion. Preliminary results have been promising, paving the way for Türkiye to dispatch state-of-the-art drilling ships to begin extracting Somalia’s hydrocarbon resources.
This growing energy cooperation between Somalia and Türkiye is expected to boost the Somali economy and contribute significantly to national development efforts. The Somali government has emphasized that the exploration and extraction of its natural resources will be conducted transparently and in line with international standards.
Somali Petroleum Minister Inspects Turkish Oil Drilling Fleet Ahead of Offshore Exploration
Black Sea – A high-level delegation led by the Federal Minister of Petroleum and Minerals of Somalia, H.E. Daahir Shire Mohamed, conducted an inspection visit today to the Turkish oil drilling vessels stationed in the Black Sea, which are set to begin offshore exploration in Somali waters.
The minister was accompanied by Turkish energy experts and the Chairman of the Somali Petroleum Authority, Mr. Abdulqaadir Mohamed. During the visit, they held a technical briefing with engineers and drilling specialists aboard the Fatih drilling ship—one of the vessels prepared for deployment to Somalia as part of a landmark bilateral energy cooperation initiative.
The offshore oil exploration in Somalia, which began in late 2024, is now nearing completion of the seismic survey phase. Preliminary results indicate a high potential for commercial discovery, prompting Türkiye to dispatch its advanced drilling fleet to Somali waters.
This marks a significant step in Somalia’s journey toward harnessing its natural resources for economic development, and further strengthens the strategic partnership between Somalia and Türkiye in the energy sector.
