Trillion Energy finalizes seismic tender for M47 oil block in southeastern Türkiye, targeting late summer 2026 acquisition

Trillion Energy International has finalized the design and tender for a 25-mile 2D seismic acquisition program on the M47c,d oil block in southeastern Türkiye. The Canadian exploration company is now moving toward contractor selection, with data acquisition targeted for late summer 2026.

Trillion Energy finalizes M47 seismic tender

The finalized program covers three priority exploration areas across the M47c,d block: the South Lead, running along the southeastern boundary of the license; the North Field discovery area, which includes zones around the Çetinkaya-1 and Çetinkaya-2 wells—both drilled in 2025; and additional targets identified through recent gravity work.

Tender documents are already in contractors’ hands, and the selection process kicks off shortly. Once a contractor is picked, Trillion plans to collect the seismic data over roughly six weeks in late summer 2026. After that, the data goes into interpretation—and that’s what drives the next drilling decision.

Those figures come with the standard caveats—unrisked estimates reflect potential, not certainty, and actual recoverable volumes could differ significantly.

Why Trillion Energy is conducting the new seismic survey

This program didn’t come out of thin air. It builds directly on a recently completed field scouting and high-resolution gravity study, which confirmed significant fault-related structures and priority leads across the M47 license. That earlier work gave the team a clearer read on the block’s potential—but it also made the gaps hard to ignore.

Some of the most prospective areas still haven’t been properly imaged. Without better subsurface data, pinpointing where to drill is essentially a guessing game. The new 2D seismic lines are positioned specifically to tie into recent discoveries on an adjacent block, which should sharpen the geological picture across the wider area. Advance site preparation is also baked into the plan — groundwork expected to trim the acquisition schedule and bring overall costs down, a practical call for a junior explorer working within a defined budget.

Expected outcomes and next steps after data acquisition

Once the seismic data is collected and interpreted, Trillion expects to announce new well locations for upcoming drilling programs. The company is treating this survey as a direct bridge between early-stage exploration and a more defined development path.

Scott Lower, President of Trillion Energy, put it plainly: the new seismic acquisition “significantly advances the commercialization and exploration of the M47 Block,” moving the company one step closer to sustained production. He noted that some of the most important and prospective areas of the block have not been sufficiently imaged to date and that once interpreted, new well locations “may be finalized for the upcoming drilling programs.” Trillion currently holds up to a 29% working interest in M47 under its existing earn-in agreement.

Resource estimates and regional context for the M47 Block

The numbers behind M47 help explain why Trillion is putting money into better seismic coverage. The North Discovery carries a 2C Contingent Resource of 27.6 million barrels (MMbbl), with an unrisked NPV-10 of US$733.5 million. Across three prospects combined, total unrisked resource potential reaches 51.6 MMbbl net to Trillion, with the North Prospect 3C estimate carrying an unrisked NPV-10 of US$1.18 billion.

Those figures come with the standard caveats—unrisked estimates reflect potential, not certainty, and actual recoverable volumes could differ significantly. Still, the scale reflects why the company sees the block as worth continued investment.

Location adds more context. The M47 block sits approximately 6.8 miles from the Şehit Aybüke Yalçın oil field, Türkiye’s largest onshore oil discovery, and lies within the Cudi-Gabar petroleum province. Seven analog oil fields have been discovered in the Gabar area over the past five years alone, and those fields collectively produce more than 80,000 barrels per day—an established production track record that gives M47 a credible geological backdrop.

The 2025 drilling campaign added concrete data points: a light oil discovery was confirmed at 32.4° API gravity, and 125 feet of net oil pay were recorded at the C-1 discovery well. Those results make the case for further delineation work, which is exactly what this seismic program is built to deliver.

Data acquisition is scheduled for late summer 2026

Here’s where things stand. Trillion Energy has completed the design and tendering process for a 25-mile 2D seismic acquisition program on the M47c,d block in southeastern Türkiye. The survey targets priority areas, including zones around the Çetinkaya-1 and Çetinkaya-2 wells drilled in 2025.

Data acquisition is scheduled for late summer 2026 over roughly six weeks. The program draws on a completed gravity study and is designed to image parts of the block that have been underexplored so far, with seismic lines positioned to tie into adjacent block discoveries and improve the broader geological picture. Following interpretation, the company expects to announce new drilling locations. Trillion holds up to a 29% working interest in the block, which sits near Türkiye’s largest onshore oil field and within a region producing more than 80,000 barrels per day from recently discovered analog fields.

Kelly Lippke

Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.