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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is preparing to launch a new offshore oil and gas exploration campaign with Türkiye this month, with a Turkish seismic vessel expected in Karachi between Nov. 17 and 20, as Islamabad seeks to search for new energy resources and reduce its dependence on costly imports, the petroleum ministry said in a statement on Friday.
Pakistan imports about half its oil and has struggled to attract investment in offshore exploration despite its proximity to energy-rich Gulf states. Only 18 exploratory wells have been drilled in its offshore waters since independence in 1947, according to figures released by the petroleum ministry in May, while its last major offshore drilling attempt in 2019 failed to find commercially viable reserves.
Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik reviewed operational, maritime and security arrangements for the arrival of a vessel operated by Turkish Petroleum Offshore Company (TPOC) at a meeting in Islamabad, according to the statement.
“This is a special moment for Pakistan-Türkiye friendship,” Malik was quoted as saying. “I will try to personally receive the vessel upon its arrival in Karachi.”
The planned survey is part of Pakistan’s broader effort to revive offshore exploration after it awarded 23 blocks covering approximately 53,500 square kilometers last year, in its first such bidding round in nearly two decades.
The government said the projects attracted initial exploration commitments of about $80 million over three years, with total investment potentially reaching $750 million to $1 billion if they advance to drilling.
Türkiye’s state-owned petroleum company secured a 25 percent stake and operatorship in the Eastern Offshore Indus Block C in the Arabian Sea, alongside Pakistani energy companies. The partnership is expected to bring technical expertise and investment to Pakistan’s largely unexplored offshore waters, where no commercially viable oil or gas discoveries have been made to date.
The Turkish vessel will conduct seismic surveys to collect geological data and identify areas that could contain oil and gas deposits. The findings could guide future exploratory drilling, although there is no guarantee of commercially viable discoveries.
Pakistan’s renewed exploration drive comes as the country seeks to ease pressure on its foreign exchange reserves from energy imports. Developing domestic oil and gas resources could help reduce its import bill over the longer term, although any discoveries would require further investment and years of development before production could begin.
The initiative also reflects expanding cooperation between Islamabad and Ankara, which have strengthened their strategic ties in recent months.
Malik described the project as a milestone in bilateral relations following the signing of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement in August by Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
The trilateral pact commits the three countries to treating an armed attack on one as an attack on all and provides for closer military and defense industry cooperation. The offshore exploration project is a separate commercial initiative, but its progress comes amid broader efforts to deepen relations between Pakistan and Türkiye.
The petroleum ministry said Malik had assured the Turkish delegation of the government’s full support for the exploration campaign and directed relevant agencies to coordinate maritime, logistical and security arrangements to facilitate the vessel’s arrival and operations.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from Pakistan’s petroleum, maritime, defense and interior ministries, along with representatives of state-owned energy companies and Turkish Petroleum Offshore Company.
Pakistan’s previous offshore exploration efforts have produced disappointing results. In 2019, an international consortium including ExxonMobil, Eni and Pakistani energy companies abandoned drilling at the Kekra-1 well in the Arabian Sea after failing to discover commercially viable hydrocarbons.
The latest campaign represents another attempt to establish whether Pakistan’s offshore basins can support commercial production, with the government hoping that improved geological data and foreign partnerships will help attract further investment.
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