Pushing the upstream exploration agenda

Somalia strategizes to boost offshore sector

SOMALIA: The Somali Petroleum Authority (SPA) has extended its agreement with TGS to market and license geophysical data covering Somalia’s offshore basins and committed to moving towards offshore drilling following a meeting with the Turkish Petroleum Authority.

TGS’ comprehensive regional data library enables energy companies to evaluate the significant exploration potential across the country’s offshore areas, which remain among the world’s most underexplored regions. 

These datasets are critical for companies assessing investment opportunities across numerous available offshore blocks. 

Through this agreement, TGS will continue to offer, exclusively, over 46,000-line kilometres of modern 2D seismic data and more than 50,000 kilometres of aeromagnetic data. TGS is therefore able to provide essential insight into the geological framework and prospectivity of the region through cutting-edge acquisition technology and advanced imaging solutions.  

“This extension further underscores our long-term commitment to the Federal Republic of Somalia and its offshore licensing program,” said David Hajovsky, Executive Vice President, Multi-Client at TGS. “With access to our exclusive, modern seismic and aeromagnetic library, we are ready to support both the Somali Petroleum Authority and the Ministry of Petroleum & Mineral Resources as they open up one of the world’s last frontier hydrocarbon provinces.” 

This announcement comes after a three-day Technical Committee Meeting held between SPA and the Turkish Petroleum Company (TPAO) last month to review project progress, exchange critical geological data, and align strategies as the partnership advances toward the drilling phase of Somalia’s upstream exploration program.

The meeting served as a strategic platform to assess the latest exploration data, finalise seismic interpretations, and identify optimal drilling targets across Somalia’s most promising petroleum blocks. The discussions reinforced the growing technical collaboration between SPA and TPAO, ensuring that all data integration, geological modelling, and operational planning are conducted in accordance with international petroleum industry standards.

“We have successfully completed the seismic acquisition and processing stage and are now preparing to enter the drilling phase,” stated Eng. Abdulqadir Aden, Chairman of the Somali Petroleum Authority.

“We are in the final stages of data interpretation, which will enable us to carefully identify the most promising drilling locations, a critical milestone in Somalia’s petroleum exploration journey,” he added.

PHOTO: Eng. Abdulqadir Aden, Chairman of the Somali Petroleum Authority, and Korhan Akin, Director of the Somalia–Turkey Petroleum Project.

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