Turkey is preparing to negotiate an offshore energy exploration agreement with Syria in 2026 and could launch seismic surveys off Syria’s Mediterranean coast to assess potential hydrocarbon resources, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has said.
In an interview with Turkish outlet GDH, Bayraktar said Ankara and Damascus plan to turn an earlier, broader “framework” arrangement into a more specific deal next year. He said a signed agreement could open the way for seismic research—typically used to map undersea geology and identify promising oil and gas structures—but stressed that a deal would not automatically mean Turkey would proceed to drilling.
The remarks fit into a wider expansion of Turkey–Syria energy cooperation since Syria’s late-2024 political transition, as Ankara has increased its role in reconstruction and economic reopening. Turkey’s energy ministry has previously announced a framework agreement signed in Damascus that set out a cooperation roadmap across energy fields.
On the practical side, Turkey has already been positioning itself as a key supplier to help address Syria’s severe electricity shortages. Reuters and the AP have reported on plans and launches to route natural gas (including Azerbaijani volumes via Turkey) to support Syrian power generation, alongside efforts to expand cross-border electricity transfers
An offshore track, however, is likely to be closely watched in the eastern Mediterranean, where maritime boundary disputes—especially involving Greece and the Republic of Cyprus—have repeatedly escalated around exploration activity and competing jurisdictional claims. Any Turkey–Syria understanding on offshore zones could become politically sensitive depending on where survey blocks are drawn and whether they are seen as overlapping contested areas.
