Turkey has discovered a new natural gas reserve of 75 billion cubic meters (bcm) in the Black Sea, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday.
"We have discovered a new natural gas reserve of 75 billion cubic meters in the field. With this amount, we will be able to meet the residential demand alone for approximately 3.5 years," Erdogan said during his speech at the opening of Istanbul Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital.
"Our work at the Goktepe-3 well (in the Black Sea), which began on March 27 with our 7th-generation drilling ship Abdulhamid Han, was completed as of yesterday," he added.
He further stated: "Our discovery in the Sakarya Gas Field has been, quite literally, a turning point for our nation."
The president emphasized that the economic value of their natural gas discovery stands at 30 billion dollars. As part of the Sakarya Project, they will use a floating production platform to develop the field, which will significantly increase its economic contribution, he added.
He noted that the first phase of Black Sea production is now complete, supplying 9.5 million cubic meters of gas daily—enough for 4 million households.
The president further said that the goal is to double production by 2026 and quadruple it by 2028, reaffirming commitment to achieving full energy independence of Turkey.
Erdogan stated that drilling operations are continuing with determination, and noted that Turkey has expanded its fleet and built partnerships both domestically and abroad in pursuit of energy independence.
He highlighted that Turkish survey and drilling ships are currently operating as far away as Somalia, and expressed pride in the progress and results of these efforts.