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Turkey plans to sign an agreement next month with US energy giant Chevron to jointly explore for oil and gas, its energy minister said on Wednesday.
Speaking to Turkish private broadcaster A Para, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the deal would follow a recent agreement with ExxonMobil that covers new exploration areas in the Black Sea, Mediterranean and other regions.
Bayraktar said six new drilling operations would be carried out in the Black Sea as part of Turkey’s efforts to explore and develop its own energy resources both offshore and on land.
“Our goal is to search for and find our own resources in Turkey,” he said, adding that the country aims to double its current production this year.
On Tuesday, Bloomsberg reported that Turkey’s state energy company was in talks with Chevron to work on seismic studies and drilling.