TPAO’s Historic Offshore Somalia Drilling Campaign Marks Major De-Risking Event for Liberty Petroleum’s Block 131 held by its affiliate PetroQuest Africa-I
Liberty Petroleum Corporation welcomes the commencement of Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı’s (TPAO) first offshore exploration well in Somalia, a landmark event that represents the country’s transition from seismic evaluation to active deepwater drilling and provides significant validation for the broader offshore Somali petroleum province.
TPAO’s Curad-1 well, located approximately 370 kilometers offshore Somalia, is targeting a total depth of approximately 7,500 meters and follows an extensive 3D seismic acquisition campaign conducted across Turkish-operated offshore blocks. The drilling program is expected to take several months and represents the first modern offshore exploration well drilled in Somalia’s deepwater sector.
For Liberty Petroleum, operator of offshore Block 131, the commencement of drilling by a major international state-owned energy company represents a significant de-risking event for the region. While Block 131 is separate from TPAO’s acreage position, both projects are evaluating petroleum systems along the same underexplored East African margin, where modern seismic data has identified multiple large structural and stratigraphic trapping configurations. Successful execution of the Curad-1 drilling program will provide valuable operational, geological, and regulatory insights that could benefit future exploration activities throughout offshore Somalia.
Liberty Petroleum’s Block 131, held 100% by PetroQuest Africa-I, LLC contains the Leopard Prospect, a large multi-target, multi-billion barrel exploration opportunity supported by extensive hydrocarbon seepage studies, modern geophysical interpretation, and multiple stacked reservoir objectives. The block lies within one of the most prospective frontier basins remaining globally, where only two offshore wells have been drilled along more than 1,000 kilometers of coastline.
The initiation of offshore drilling confirms growing industry confidence in Somalia’s petroleum potential and demonstrates the country’s emergence as one of the world’s most compelling frontier exploration destinations. As operators move from seismic interpretation to drill-bit testing, the basin is entering a new phase where the underlying geological models can be directly evaluated through drilling results.
“TPAO’s drilling campaign is an important milestone not only for Somalia but for all companies active in the country’s offshore sector,” said Lane Franks, CEO of Liberty Petroleum. “The commencement of deepwater drilling demonstrates confidence in the Somali offshore petroleum system and represents a significant step toward unlocking the resource potential of one of the world’s last major frontier basins.”
Liberty Petroleum continues to advance exploration activities across its Somali offshore portfolio and remains committed to working alongside the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Petroleum Authority to responsibly develop the country’s hydrocarbon resources.
About Liberty Petroleum Corporation
Liberty Petroleum Corporation is an international oil and gas exploration company focused on acquiring and advancing high-impact frontier exploration opportunities. The Company’s PetroQuest portfolio spans offshore Somalia, Liberia, Seychelles and Australia, providing exposure to multiple emerging petroleum provinces with the potential to host world-class hydrocarbon discoveries.
For additional information, please contact:
Liberty Petroleum Corporation
Lane Franks, CEO
Phone: (602) 995-7194
www.libertypetroleumcorp.com
