Canada’s Gran Tierra enters Azerbaijan with SOCAR E&P deal

BAKU, February 20, 2026 – Gran Tierra Energy has signed a new onshore exploration, development and production sharing agreement with SOCAR in Azerbaijan, the company said on Friday.

The agreement covers a contract area in the Guba-Khazaryani region and grants Gran Tierra a 65% working interest and operatorship across approximately 1,620 square kilometres. The project is subject to legislative and legal approvals from the Azerbaijani government.

Gran Tierra plans to begin an airborne gravity study in 2026, with seismic and drilling activities scheduled to start in 2027. The initial exploration phase includes drilling two wells and acquiring 250 square kilometres of 3D seismic data, with a further two wells and 250 square kilometres of seismic work in a second phase.

Azerbaijan’s proven petroleum systems and access to European energy markets align with Gran Tierra’s strategy of risk-mitigated, capital-efficient growth, the company said. “We believe this represents an early, scaled entry through SOCAR’s bid round into a jurisdiction that is clearly supportive of the continued development of its hydrocarbon resources,” Gran Tierra CEO Gary Guidry said.

Gran Tierra Energy is an international oil and gas exploration and production company focused on assets in South America. Headquartered in Canada, it holds operations primarily in Colombia and Ecuador and is expanding into Azerbaijan with this new agreement.

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