The Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO), Turkey’s state-owned oil and gas company, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Thursday with Exxon Mobil affiliate ESSO Exploration International Limited covering potential oil and natural gas exploration in new areas in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, Turkey’s energy minister announced.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the agreement is meant to improve operational efficiency and support new hydrocarbon discoveries, describing it as a partnership that pairs TPAO’s deepwater work with Exxon Mobil’s international experience.
TPAO General Manager Cem Erdem and Exxon Mobil Vice President John Ardill signed the memorandum at a ceremony in İstanbul.
Turkey has increased offshore exploration in the Black Sea since the Sakarya Gas Field began production, and the government has promoted new drilling capacity and expansion plans. The daily output from Sakarya reached 9.5 million cubic meters in 2025 according to official figures.
Exxon Mobil and TPAO have worked together in the Black Sea before, including a deepwater exploration agreement approved by the Turkish government in 2009.