Turkey expects several more gas, oil discoveries

Turkey is preparing three gas exploration projects in the Black Sea this year. Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said the locations are very important. He is also optimistic about oil drilling in the country’s southeast.

Turkey is prioritizing projects for domestic and renewable energy sources to lower dependence on imports. Among other segments, it is investing in gas exploration in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The Sakarya field in the Black Sea of 710 billion cubic meters, discovered in 2020, came online last April.

Three exploration projects in the Black Sea are scheduled this year, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said. The locations are very important, he stressed.

Gas reaches all provinces, most districts

In addition, Bayraktar said he is optimistic about oil drilling in the Gabar region in the southeast, in the provinces of Şırnak and Hakkari. “From all of these, we definitely believe that we will announce new discoveries,” he stated, as quoted by the Daily Sabah.

Separately, the minister pointed out that natural gas is now used in all 81 provinces and most districts.

GECF: Domestic gas output could hit 20 billion cubic meters per year

Annual production is seen at 13 billion cubic meters by 2050, according to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). It compares to expected imports of 55 billion. The report adds that this year output may reach 1.6 billion, highlighting the first phase in Sakarya. It may grow to 3.5 billion cubic meters, the organization estimated.

The second phase in production, projected to begin by 2030, can peak at 7.5 billion, GECF said. It translates to 11 billion cubic meters of gas in total, it noted.

With the expansion of the Sakarya field, and recent discoveries in the South Akcakoca Sub Basin, Turkey is on track to reach a production level of 20 billion cubic centimeters toward 2040, GECF added. However, in the absence of major discoveries, there is a possibility of a decline to 13 billion by 2050, it explained.

The domestic gas network received 51.5 billion cubic meters of gas in 2023 or 8% less than in the previous year, official data showed. The decline was attributed to a warmer winter. A small portion is exported.