Türkiye is set to sign an agreement to explore oil and gas in both onshore and offshore fields in Pakistan, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Wednesday, while emphasizing that Russia will remain one of the country's main natural gas suppliers.
Bayraktar said he will travel to Pakistan next week to finalize the deal. "We will sign our agreement regarding the first deep-sea drilling in Pakistan, related to offshore fields. We are starting joint work in two onshore fields and one offshore field," he told a private broadcaster, Lider Haber, adding that the signing ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday.
A consortium that includes Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) last month won exploration rights for an offshore oil field in Pakistan.
Responding to a question about Türkiye's liquefied natural gas contracts, Bayraktar said roughly half of Türkiye's gas demand can now be met through LNG, with the remainder supplied via pipeline imports, including from Russia.
"Therefore, Russian gas will continue to be an important source of imports for Türkiye," the minister said. "There is nothing to be concerned about in this regard. Our relationship with Russia, particularly in the energy field, continues in a very positive way."
Bayraktar did not provide details on the volume of gas that could be imported.
Türkiye's long-term natural gas purchase contract with Russia is set to expire at the end of the year. While imports from Russia are expected to continue, it remains unclear whether volumes under any renewed deal will match the expiring contract or be reduced.
