Turkey plans offshore energy exploration deal with Syria in 2026

Middle East Eye ^ | Ragip Soylu in Ankara

[SunkenCiv]

Turkish Energy Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar said on Monday that Turkey intends to seal an energy exploration agreement with Syria in 2026 to assess possible offshore energy resources along the Syrian coast.

In an interview with Turkish digital news platform GDH on Monday, Bayraktar said that Ankara and Damascus had already signed a general framework agreement on energy cooperation earlier this year.

"We plan to sign a specific offshore deal in 2026," he said. "After signing the deal, we may conduct seismic research to see what the field offers us".

Bayraktar cautioned that the agreement does not necessarily mean Turkey would carry out drilling in the area...

The move is likely to concern Greece and Cyprus, who may suspect that the deal could pave the way for Ankara and Damascus to establish an exclusive economic zone (EEZ), potentially heightening tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean...

The largest energy agreement involving Turkey and Syria was signed on 29 May 2025. It covered natural gas, electricity, mining, and petroleum, with a focus on technical coordination, information sharing, and joint investment.

One of the most significant projects under this agreement is the natural gas pipeline between Kilis and Aleppo, completed in June 2025.

Through this pipeline, Turkey is expected to supply Syria with two billion cubic metres of natural gas every year, enabling the generation of approximately 1,300 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

The agreement also includes the construction of a 400-kilovolt high-voltage transmission line to integrate the power grids of both countries.

When the line is expected to be operational by early 2026, it will have capacity to support up to 500 MW of electricity imports...

In addition, a 1,000-MW solar power plant will be built in the Vidyan al-Rabi region.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Israel; Lebanon; Syria
KEYWORDS: alshabab; cyprus; eastmed; eastmedpipeline; energy; greece; hydrocarbons; israel; lebanon; methane; naturalgas; oil; opec; petroleum; pipeline; somalia; somaliland; syria; turkey

[SunkenCiv]

Subtitle: "Ankara's energy minister says government plans to conduct seismic research to evaluate area off Syrian coast for energy resources"

[SunkenCiv]

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[ComputerGuy]

I didn’t know Syria actually had a functioning government.

[dfwgator]

“We’re putting the band back together!”

[HIDEK6]

Syria has decided to work for a living?

[Retain Mike]

My point exactly. Who do you sign an agreement with?

[VanShuyten]

Israel has been getting gas from the same area for about a decade, so this isn’t surprising.

It’s also not surprising that Turkey is supporting the “ex”- terrorist regime in Syria.

[SunkenCiv]

from the FRchives, East Med Pipeline keywords topics:

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• Incoming Israel PM Netanyahu: Normalizing Israeli-Saudi Relations Would End Arab-Israeli Conflict [11/11/2022]
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• Turkey's Erdogan Romances Jews While Calling Them 'Hitler' - Opinion [09/13/2022]
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• China is reselling natural gas to energy-strapped Europe as its economic slowdown leaves it with a surplus, report says [08/30/2022]
• Hamas concerned about the relations between Turkey and Israel [07/27/2022]
• Biden Administration Kills Israel-to-Europe Gas Pipeline [07/20/2022]
• Video: Biden's oil policies are collapsing US food production [06/29/2022]
• In energy-strapped Europe, coal gets a Greek encore [06/21/2022]
• EU, Israel and Egypt sign deal to boost East Med gas exports to Europe [06/15/2022]
• European Commission president heads to Israel with gas deal in the works [06/12/2022]
• Biden is ripping up his plan to ostracize Saudi Arabia as the US desperately seeks a way out of its oil crisis [06/11/2022]
• Israel Sends Navy To Escort Drilling Rig In Disputed Gas Field [06/09/2022]
• Climate 'Marshall Plan' -- U.N. Joins World Economic Forum Call to End Oil, Gas, and Coal Use [05/18/2022]
• Biden Admin Silent On The Fate Of Major Natural Gas Pipeline As Energy Prices Soar(WV, VA) [05/04/2022]

[SunkenCiv]

Wait a second... the term “functioning government”... isn’t that an oxymoron? 😊

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks all!

[faithhopecharity]

Translation: Turkey seizes control of Syria’s natural residences

[Sacajaweau]

What?? They’re not erecting windmills and solar farms.

[BenLurkin]

Windmills, right?

[faithhopecharity]

sorry, that (before the text editor attacked it) was supposed to say resources (as in natural gas, etcetera) ... not “residences” .. although Turkey is steadily moving to gobble up more Syrian land, too

[ComputerGuy]

You’re right - it’s oxymoronic.

[Mr Radical]

Yep, getting control of Syria’s natural resources. That’s what the Arab spring / Syrian colour revolution of 2011 - a product of the Obama-Cameron era - was all about!

Not unlike...

[faithhopecharity]

understood

[SunkenCiv]

“In addition, a 1,000-MW solar power plant will be built in the Vidyan al-Rabi region.”

[Sacajaweau]

Yeh...I caught it afterwards

[SunkenCiv]

I suspect it will be photovoltaic, rather than a heliostat.