Filenews 22 January 2026
An agreement with Chevron is expected to be signed in February in Istanbul, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said in an interview with Turkish channel A Haber, calling 2026 a "golden year" for energy diplomacy and production.
Bayraktar recalled that in January an agreement was signed with ExxonMobil for joint exploration in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and other regions internationally, noting that other international collaborations will follow. As he said, in 2026 specific research and exploration projects will be announced.
Bloomberg: Turkey in talks with Chevron on Gas and Oil
As Bloomberg wrote on the issue, the possible deal is Ankara's latest move to boost energy production and comes amid a broader thaw in US-Turkey relations. This will be followed by an agreement with Exxon Mobil Corp in January for joint exploration in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
"Chevron has a broad exploration and production portfolio globally and continues to evaluate potential opportunities," a Chevron spokesperson told Bloomberg. "It is our general policy not to comment on commercial issues."
It's unclear which projects the companies could collaborate on. TPAO is already active in the Black Sea, Iraq, Russia and Somalia, and has previously drilled in the eastern Mediterranean, where Chevron exploits deposits in Israeli and Cypriot waters.
Ankara has sought to reduce its almost complete dependence on imported oil and gas in recent years by increasing domestic production and expanding TPAO's operations abroad.
The company has expanded its fleet of specialized vessels for offshore exploration and recently announced plans to raise up to $4 billion. dollars. in its first sale of Islamic debt.
One of TPAO's newest ships, called Cagri Bey, is expected to begin drilling work in Somalia in April or May, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told state broadcaster TRT Haber last wee
