Islamabad (TDI): In a significant development, Pakistan and Turkiye have agreed on forging cooperation in oil and gas exploration, which came on the sidelines of Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025.
Pakistan and Turkiye inked a joint bidding deal, according to which they would jointly participate in offshore bidding round to be conducted by Islamabad.
In February 2025, the government announced an offshore block bid round, offering forty blocks in Makran and Indus basins for exploration licenses.
This bid round is a big opportunity for attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) in the upstream energy sector.
“We are pleased to announce that reputable Pakistani exploration and production companies, Mari Energies, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL), have inked a joint bidding deal with Turkish state-owned firm Turkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortakligi to participate in the offshore bid round,” said a statement issued on Tuesday.
Read More: Turkiye, Pakistan Agree to Boost B2B Activities
“We believe that this strategic cooperation will bring much-needed foreign direct investment to Pakistan and pave the way for sharing and using global technologies, expertise and skills to explore the untapped potential of the country’s offshore region.”
While meeting Turkish Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik expressed optimisim for bilateral collaboration.
Read More: Pakistan, Turkiye Discuss Trade and Investment
He remarked that seismic studies indicated considerable offshore reserves and Pakistan was committed to providing full support and encouraging collaborative initiatives to explore the potential.
