TotalEnergies ​has signed ‌a preliminary agreement with state-owned ​Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) to explore ⁠Türkiye's Black ​Sea waters for ​hydrocarbons, the French oil major said ​on Monday.

The ​agreement announced by Türkiye's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar ⁠last month provides a framework for ​technical ​collaboration ⁠and possible joint future ​exploration opportunities ​in ⁠the Black Sea and ⁠internationally.

"We are pleased to launch this cooperation with TPAO, leveraging the technical expertise of both companies to evaluate exploration opportunities in the Black Sea region and internationally on a mutually beneficial basis," said Nicola Mavilla, senior vice president in charge of exploration at TotalEnergies.

Importing more than 90% of its energy needs, Türkiye is seeking to cut its import bill and boost supply security by developing domestic resources and expanding overseas partnerships.

Black Sea is home to Türkiye's largest-ever natural gas reserve that the country gradually discovered since 2020.

The Sakarya gas field is estimated to contain 710 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas. It will meet approximately 30% of the nation's annual gas needs once the production reaches total capacity.

Last year, Türkiye announced a separate 75 bcm gas discovery in the Black Sea.

Daily output at the Sakarya field stands at around 10 million cubic meters (mcm), enough to supply 4 million households. Production is expected to double in 2026, when Türkiye's first floating gas production platform, Osman Gazi, becomes operational in the second half of the year.

A second, higher-capacity floating production platform is scheduled to come online in 2028, allowing Türkiye to complete the first three phases of the Sakarya project and meet the gas needs of 17 million households. The output is expected to eventually reach 40 mcm a day.