Turkish seismic vessel due in Karachi for offshore energy exploration

A Turkish seismic research vessel is expected to arrive in Karachi between November 17 and 20 to begin offshore oil and gas exploration, marking a renewed push to assess Pakistan’s offshore energy potential after a long gap in activity.

The Petroleum Division announced the planned arrival after Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik reviewed arrangements with government agencies and representatives of Turkish Petroleum Offshore Company. The meeting covered operational, maritime, logistical, security and interdepartmental preparations for the vessel’s arrival and the start of its exploration campaign.

Officials said the vessel’s deployment would revive offshore exploration efforts after nearly two decades. Pakistan last held an offshore bid round in 2025, when it offered petroleum exploration licences for 40 Indus and Makran offshore blocks near Sindh and Balochistan after an 18-year interval.

Turkish Petroleum Offshore Company has entered partnerships for three Pakistani blocks with state-owned local energy companies. In the Eastern Offshore Indus-C block in the Arabian Sea, it holds a 25pc operating interest, while Pakistan Petroleum Limited holds 35pc and Oil and Gas Development Company Limited and Mari Energies each hold 20pc.

Pakistan Petroleum Limited has estimated that the Eastern Offshore Indus-C block may hold between 1.5 trillion and 2 trillion cubic feet of gas, based on earlier two-dimensional and three-dimensional surveys. The Turkish company is also set to hold stakes in the Sukhpur-II and Ziarat North onshore blocks.

The minister described the arrival as a new phase in Pakistan-Turkiye energy cooperation and said the government would facilitate the project. The Turkish project manager said the company had received encouraging support from Pakistani authorities and expected the exploration effort to proceed successfully.

Pakistan’s offshore zone covers about 300,000 square kilometres and borders the waters of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Iran. Only 18 wells have been drilled in the area since 1947, according to the report, leaving substantial uncertainty over the scale of any recoverable hydrocarbon resources. The vessel’s survey work is an exploration step and does not itself confirm a commercially viable discovery.