Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has signed a strategic partnership with Turkish Petroleum Overseas Company (TPOC), initiating a key development in the farm-out process for Eastern Offshore Indus Block-C.

PPL said that this collaboration stems from intergovernmental discussions aimed at fostering energy sector collaboration and attracting foreign direct investment into Pakistan's offshore exploration industry.

The company has agreed to hand over the block’s operatorship to TPOC, pending regulatory consent.

This step is part of a broader initiative to align Pakistan's offshore exploration practices with international standards.

Alongside this, PPL has involved Oil & Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Mari Energies (MariEnergies) in the farm-out process.

Following comprehensive due diligence by these companies, a farm-out agreement was executed that includes PPL, TPOC, OGDCL and MariEnergies.

According to the terms of the farm-out agreement, PPL will allocate a 25% participating interest (PI) and the operatorship to TPOC, while OGDCL and MariEnergies will each receive a 20% PI.

PPL will maintain a 35% PI and remain instrumental in the ongoing development of the block.

PPL noted that this partnership is a pivotal step towards tapping into Pakistan's offshore hydrocarbon resources and lays the groundwork for enduring strategic energy relations between Türkiye and Pakistan.

In April 2025, TPAO joined forces with three Pakistani national energy companies to participate in Pakistan's offshore oil and gas exploration tender.

The agreement was finalised during a visit to Islamabad by Türkiye's Energy Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, coinciding with his attendance at the Pakistan Mining Investment Forum.

In July last year, Türkiye signed an agreement granting it exclusive rights to explore and produce hydrocarbons in three blocks in Somalia, covering a combined area of 5,000km².