Türkiye taps 6.7 bcm of gas 6 years after Black Sea discovery

Türkiye has begun tapping 6.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas from the Black Sea since production started in 2023, according to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar. The milestone marks six years since the nation’s largest-ever gas discovery in the region, which was initially announced on August 21, 2020, at the Tuna-1 well. The initial estimate of 320 billion cubic meters of recoverable gas was later revised upward by 85 billion cubic meters, bringing the total to 405 billion cubic meters. Further discoveries at the Amasra-1 well in 2021, the Çaycuma-1 well in 2022, and the Göktepe-3 well in 2025 expanded Türkiye’s Black Sea gas reserves to a total of 785 billion cubic meters. These findings have positioned the country as a key player in regional energy security, reducing its dependence on foreign imports. The Sakarya Gas Field became operational after the completion of necessary production infrastructure. Gas reached the shore in April 2023, and local production was integrated into the national transmission network in late August 2023 following processing at a facility in Zonguldak province. Since production began, 12 wells have been activated, contributing to the 6.7 billion cubic meters of gas extracted so far. As of May this year, the Sakarya field accounts for 92% of Türkiye’s total domestic gas production. Current production levels stand at approximately 9.5 million cubic meters per day, sufficient to meet the natural gas demands of around 4 million households. Bayraktar emphasized that the Black Sea discoveries represent a pivotal step toward greater energy independence for Türkiye. “Since 2023, we have produced a total of 6.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas, bringing the Black Sea's resources into our country's energy supply,” he stated. “We discovered it six years ago; we're producing it today; and tomorrow we'll make even more of it available to our people.” Looking ahead, Türkiye plans to significantly boost production through the expansion of the Sakarya field development project. The Osman Gazi floating production platform, part of Phase 2, is set to commence operations in the fourth quarter of this year. This will increase daily output to 20 million cubic meters. A second floating production facility is expected to come online in 2028 under Phase 3, pushing daily production to 45 million cubic meters. The entire project aims to eventually include 54 production wells. The development of the Sakarya field required substantial investment in both offshore and onshore infrastructure. A subsea production facility was installed approximately 170 kilometers north of Filyos port, at a water depth of 2,200 meters. This was connected via a 170-kilometer pipeline to the Filyos Natural Gas Processing Facility. The transition from discovery to commercial production has enabled Türkiye to convert its vast offshore resource base into a reliable domestic supply. In addition to the Sakarya field, Türkiye continues to expand its deep-water drilling capabilities. Five drilling vessels, Abdülhamid Han, Fatih, Kanuni, Yavuz, and Yıldırım, are currently active in the Black Sea. While Abdülhamid Han and Fatih are engaged in drilling operations, Kanuni, Yavuz, and Yıldırım are focused on well-completion tasks. Meanwhile, the Çağrı Bey drilling vessel is conducting hydrocarbon exploration activities off the coast of Somalia. These efforts underscore Türkiye’s commitment to enhancing its energy self-sufficiency through continued exploration and production in both domestic and international waters.