Turkey has signed a memorandum of understanding with French energy giant TotalEnergies to assess potential cooperation in hydrocarbon exploration, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Monday.
The agreement, signed in İstanbul by Turkey’s state-run oil company, Turkish Petroleum Corp (TPAO), and TotalEnergies, aims to evaluate joint opportunities both in Turkey and internationally, Bayraktar said in a post on X.
“In line with our goal of becoming a regional energy hub, a strategic Memorandum of Understanding was signed … between our national company, TPAO, and TotalEnergies,” he said.
Bayraktar said the deal would focus on assessing cooperation in oil and gas exploration activities, adding that Turkey seeks to expand its technical capabilities through international partnerships.
Enerjide merkez ülke olma hedefimiz doğrultusunda; İstanbul’da, millî şirketimiz TPAO ile TotalEnergies arasında stratejik bir Mutabakat Zaptı imzalandı.
Bu anlaşma ile Türkiye’de ve uluslararası alanda hidrokarbon arama faaliyetlerindeki potansiyel iş birliği imkânlarını… pic.twitter.com/ksUGN1ykkn
— Alparslan Bayraktar (@aBayraktar1) April 13, 2026
“As we work to realize our goal of transforming TPAO into a global energy player, we will continue to strengthen our nation’s journey toward full energy independence by combining our superior technical capabilities with international experience,” he said.
The memorandum comes as Turkey has stepped up efforts to position itself as a regional energy hub, pursuing a mix of domestic exploration and international partnerships to reduce reliance on imports.
Turkey, which remains heavily dependent on imported energy, especially oil and natural gas, has stepped up offshore exploration in the Black Sea since its major Sakarya gas discovery in 2020 as part of efforts to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.
The Sakarya Gas Field began production in April 2023, with the daily output from Sakarya reaching 9.5 million cubic meters in 2025, according to official figures.
Since the beginning of 2026 TPAO has signed energy cooperation agreements with ExxonMobil, Chevron and BP for potential exploration in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.
No financial details or timeline for potential projects under Monday’s agreement were immediately disclosed.