Pakistan and Libya Agree to Ease Crude Oil Imports, and a Turkish Survey Ship Is Due in November
Pakistan and Libya agreed in Riyadh on 12 October to ease crude imports, and a Turkish survey ship is due in November 2026. What it means for petrol prices now.
Pakistan's Petroleum Minister, Ali Pervaiz Malik, agreed in Riyadh on 12 October 2026 to build energy ties with Libya and make it easier for Pakistani refineries to buy Libyan crude oil. He was at the 17th International Energy Forum ministerial meeting. He also discussed more liquefied natural gas (LNG) with Qatar, and was told that a Turkish seismic survey ship will reach Pakistan in November to collect offshore data in the Indus Basin. None of these deals has a price, a volume or a start date yet.
For readers, the main question is what changes at the petrol pump. The short answer is nothing this month. The longer answer is that Pakistan is looking for oil and gas from sources that do not pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
What Pakistan and Libya agreed
State radio reported that the Petroleum Minister met Libya's Minister of Oil and Gas in Riyadh. The two sides agreed to "enhance bilateral energy ties and facilitate crude oil imports".
Pakistan is encouraging its local refineries to buy crude oil from Libya. Libyan officials pledged support for supplying oil to Pakistani companies. Both sides also showed interest in sharing expertise to modernise refinery infrastructure.
The report names no quantity, no price, no shipping date and no company. It does not say that a contract has been signed. An agreement to "facilitate" imports is a statement of intent, and the actual purchase is made by a refinery or a state company at a later stage.
What Pakistan discussed with Qatar and Türkiye
On gas, the minister met Qatar's Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad bin Sherida Al-Kaabi. The report says they talked about expanding cooperation in the LNG sector. It gives no volumes or prices.
Türkiye's Energy Minister, Alparslan Bayraktar, told the minister that a Turkish Petroleum seismic vessel will arrive in Pakistan in November 2026. The Press Information Department release adds that Mr Bayraktar plans to visit Pakistan next month to receive it. The ship will gather data for offshore oil and gas exploration in the Indus Basin. A seismic survey is only the first step. It maps rock below the seabed and does not mean any oil or gas has been found.
| Partner | What was discussed | What is still missing |
|---|---|---|
| Libya | Crude oil imports for Pakistani refineries | Quantity, price, contract |
| Qatar | More cooperation on LNG | Volumes, price, start date |
| Türkiye | Survey ship in Indus Basin in November 2026 | Survey area, results, any find |
Why Pakistan is looking beyond the Gulf for oil
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has been far below normal for weeks, and Pakistan buys much of its oil and gas from the Gulf. Our report on Hormuz ship traffic at 12 percent of normal explains the effect on petrol.
Gas has been hit too. Qatar shipments were unavailable for part of the year, and Pakistan paid spot prices instead, as we set out in the report on the RLNG price increase. The newest price decision is in OGRA's September RLNG price.
The government's own release says Pakistan wants to diversify crude sources away from chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb. Bab al-Mandeb is the narrow gate to the Red Sea. On 12 August Pakistan condemned a Houthi attack on a commercial ship in the Red Sea in which three Pakistanis were killed, so that route has its own risk. The releases do not say which route Libyan cargoes would take.
What this means for the petrol price
Nothing changes for the pump price now. Petrol is priced from the Gulf benchmark plus a fixed premium and Pakistan's levies, as shown in how Pakistan sets the petrol price every day. A different supplier changes that only if the delivered cost differs and the refinery passes it on.
- The agreement has no contract, so no cargo is booked.
- A refinery must test the crude and decide whether it suits its plant.
- The cost of shipping is added to the price of the cargo.
- The price at the pump follows the formula, with its seven working day lag.
For the wider outlook, see what official forecasts say in whether petrol will get cheaper in Pakistan.
What to watch next
Three signs would show that the talks are becoming real. The first is a refinery or a state oil company announcing a cargo and its price. The second is a Petroleum Division notice with the quantity. The third is the survey ship's arrival and the areas it will map.
Until then, treat reports of cheaper fuel from Libya as unconfirmed. The two official releases are the only sources we found for these meetings, and we report only what they say.
Common questions
Will Pakistan import crude oil from Libya?
It has agreed to try. The Petroleum Minister and Libya's oil minister agreed to facilitate crude imports. No contract or quantity has been announced.
Will petrol get cheaper because of this?
Not now. No cargo, price or date is announced, and the pump price follows a formula based on the Gulf benchmark and levies.
What is the Turkish seismic vessel coming to do?
It will gather offshore data in the Indus Basin from November 2026. A seismic survey maps rock below the seabed, and it does not prove that oil or gas exists.
Did Pakistan agree a new LNG deal with Qatar?
No deal is announced. The minister discussed expanding LNG cooperation with Qatar's energy minister of state, with no volume or price.
Where did the meetings take place?
In Riyadh, on the sidelines of the 17th International Energy Forum ministerial meeting on 12 October 2026, according to a Press Information Department release.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Press Information Department's release of 12 October on the energy forum, state radio's report on Pakistan and Libya enhancing energy ties and its report of 12 August on the Houthi attack on a ship in the Red Sea. We could not find a Libyan statement or any company announcement. No volumes, prices or contract terms are available in either official release.
About the author
Global Affairs & Political Economy Writer
Muhammad Hatim is a book lover who started writing because he enjoys it. At Pakistan Era he writes about international relations, geopolitics and the global economy, with a particular interest in South Asia and the forces behind current events.
