ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Turkey on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly participate in Pakistan’s upcoming offshore bid round for oil and gas exploration, marking a significant step towards strengthening bilateral energy cooperation.
The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum 2025 (PMIF25) in Islamabad.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division), Ali Pervaiz Malik, and Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar witnessed the signing ceremony.
As part of the collaboration, leading Pakistani exploration and production (E&P) companies—Mari Energies Limited, Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL)—entered into a joint bidding agreement with Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı (TPAO), Turkiye’s state-owned oil and gas company.
In February 2025, the Government of Pakistan launched an offshore block bid round, offering 40 offshore blocks in the Makran and Indus basins for exploration licensing. This initiative is seen as a crucial opportunity to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and introduce cutting-edge international technologies to Pakistan’s upstream energy sector.
During the event, Ali Pervaiz Malik emphasised the potential of Pakistan’s offshore regions, citing seismic studies that suggest significant untapped reserves. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting collaborative ventures that bring investment, innovation, and global expertise to the country.
“This strategic collaboration will help us unlock the untapped potential of our offshore resources,” he said.
Turkish Minister Alparslan Bayraktar praised Pakistan’s efforts in organising the Minerals Investment Forum and expressed his country’s readiness to enhance energy cooperation with Pakistan.
The agreement was formally signed by Ahmed Turkoglu, CEO of Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO); Faheem Haider, MD of Mari Energies; Ahmad Hayat Lak, MD of OGDCL; and Imran Abbasi, MD of PPL.
