Turkey eyes oil and gas exploration in Libya to boost regional gas hub ambitions

Turkey has expressed strong interest in exploring and developing Libya’s oil and gas resources, following a showcase of 22 Libyan onshore and offshore blocks in Istanbul, Africa Business Insider reports. The move comes as Libya prepares to launch its first oil and gas exploration and development tender in 18 years.

In addition to Libya, Turkey is reportedly in negotiations with Bulgaria to explore opportunities in the Black Sea. Bloomberg reports that Turkey’s state-owned energy company, TPAO, is expected to sign an exploration agreement with a foreign partner within the next month.

Turkey’s Energy Minister also highlighted that Ankara is actively seeking energy partnerships in Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. These efforts align with Turkey’s broader strategy to reduce its dependency on energy imports and position itself as a key regional gas hub connecting Europe and the Middle East.

To support this goal, Turkey is reportedly negotiating with Bulgaria to expand gas transit capacity at their shared border, aiming to increase energy flow into European markets.