Ankara eyes offshore hydrocarbon exploration in Libya, minister says
In an interview published on Friday by the Turkish newspaper Sabah, Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced that Ankara is seeking to conduct offshore surveys for hydrocarbons in Libyan maritime zones.
Bayraktar emphasized that Libya is a key country for energy resources, noting Turkey’s interest in both offshore and onshore oil and natural gas projects there. He mentioned that there are areas where Tripoli and Ankara are nearing an agreement, with potential developments on the horizon.
Bayraktar also highlighted that, for Turkey, the Black Sea is a higher priority for hydrocarbon exploration compared to the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. He stated, “The Mediterranean’s potential appears to be higher than that of the Aegean, but the Black Sea holds the most promise. Therefore, our current priorities are: Sakarya province, Black Sea, and Mediterranean.”
Earlier on Friday, Greek defense ministry sources warned Turkey that Greece will not tolerate any illegal Turkish activities within the exclusive economic zone established by the 2020 agreement between Athens and Cairo.
Turkey and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) signed a maritime memorandum in 2019, which delineates their claimed exclusive economic zones. Greece has rejected the legality of this agreement, arguing that it does not account for Greece’s own maritime zones. The European Council has also deemed the memorandum invalid.
In response, Athens signed a partial delimitation agreement with Cairo, defining their exclusive economic zones in the eastern Mediterranean.
