TotalEnergies Signed Exploration Agreement with Turkey’s TPAO
French TotalEnergies has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Turkey’s Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı (TPAO) предусматривающий развитие сотрудничества в сфере геологоразведки. This was reported by the company’s press service.
The agreement is aimed at conducting exploration activities in the Black Sea, as well as implementing joint projects at the international level. The document, as noted, forms the basis for technical partnership between the companies.
Interest from European countries in the Black Sea shelf is increasing amid reduced access to Russian energy resources and supply disruptions due to the situation in the Middle East. One of the key projects in the region remains the Romanian Neptun Deep field with recoverable reserves of about 100 bcm of gas, with production expected to start in 2027.
Earlier, the British Shell signed an exploration contract in the Bulgarian sector of the Black Sea, while TotalEnergies itself participated in the Han Asparuh project until the end of 2023, later transferring its stake to OMV Petrom amid the strengthening of the European Union’s green policy.
Turkey’s Minister of Energy Alparslan Bayraktar stated on April 13, 2026, that the agreement aligns with Ankara’s strategy to transform the country into a regional energy hub and achieve energy independence. Turkey, not being a member of the European Union, seeks to develop its domestic resources through international partnerships, including with the major American company Exxon.
Next year, TotalEnergies will begin supplying liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Botas, another Turkish state-backed energy company, under a 10-year contract. The French company also holds a 50% stake in Ronesans Enerji, owned by Turkish businessman Erman Ilicak. Ronesans Enerji operates hydropower plants with a capacity of 166 MW and has a portfolio of renewable energy projects.
