Turkey signed an agreement with Chevron today for joint oil and gas exploration globally, the Turkish Ministry of Energy announced.

The agreement between Chevron and state-owned Turkish Petroleum provides for cooperation in both onshore and offshore exploration and production activities, according to the Turkish ministry.

The agreement falls within the framework of enhanced cooperation between Turkish and American energy companies, as Turkey seeks to reduce its dependence on imported oil and gas—particularly from Russia—and to improve relations with the United States, a traditional ally of Ankara.

Collaboration with Chevron could help Turkish Petroleum reach a long-term production target of 1 million barrels of oil per day, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said in a social media post following the signing ceremony in Istanbul.

Last month, Turkish Petroleum signed a memorandum of understanding with a unit of Exxon Mobil Corp., Esso, to conduct energy exploration in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

Chevron Announces Agreements with Syria for Eastern Mediterranean Exploration

Meanwhile, Chevron signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian Petroleum Company and the Qatari company UCC Holding to assess oil and gas exploration offshore Syria, a spokesperson for the American company said on Wednesday.

The area of interest is in the Eastern Mediterranean and is known for significant natural gas discoveries in both Israel and Egypt.

According to ABC News, citing Syria’s state news agency SANA, the agreement aims to strengthen strategic partnerships in the energy sector. It focuses on cooperation in offshore exploration and the development of oil and gas resources in Syria’s territorial waters.

Additionally, the agreement includes broader initiatives to support investment and development in the energy sector.

Previous efforts to explore Syria’s offshore resources include a 2013 agreement between Russian company Soyuzneftegaz and Syrian authorities. However, this project was abandoned two years later amid the ongoing civil war in Syria. Most of Syria’s existing oil production comes from onshore fields in the northeastern part of the country, primarily in locations such as the Al-Omar field.

In December 2025, Chevron began oil production at the South N’dola platform off the coast of Angola. This milestone came just over two years after construction began.