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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Türkiye has discovered a new natural gas reserve of 75 billion cubic meters in the Goktepe-3 well, a find valued at approximately $30 billion in the Black Sea near Bulgarian Exlusive Economic Zone (EZZ).
"We have made a new natural gas discovery of 75 billion cubic meters in the field. With this amount, we will meet the needs of our residents alone for approximately 3.5 years," Erdogan said during the opening ceremony of the Istanbul Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital on Saturday.
President Erdogan highlighted Türkiye's strategic investments across multiple energy sectors as part of the country's pursuit of energy independence.
"Energy is another area where we are driving Türkiye from success to success. We have made serious investments in every field from nuclear energy to hydroelectricity, from wind to geothermal, from solar energy to oil and natural gas," Erdogan stated during his address.
The president emphasized that these efforts aim to strengthen Türkiye's position as an energy bridge while diversifying the country's energy resources. He specifically mentioned the Akkuyu nuclear power plant project, which he said has moved the country "to a different league" despite opposition from what he termed "fifth column elements wearing an environmentalist mask."
The drilling operations at the Goktepe-3 well, which began on March 27 with the seventh-generation drilling vessel Abdulhamid Han, were completed on Friday. Erdogan detailed that the well was drilled at a water depth of 2,154 meters, with total operations including drilling, logging, and testing spanning 49 days to reach a depth of 3,500 meters.
"As a result of meticulously conducted operations, we have made a new natural gas discovery of 75 billion cubic meters in the field," Erdogan announced. "The economic value of our natural gas discovery is $30 billion."
He added that the development of the field would utilize the floating production platform already invested in for the Sakarya Project, which would further enhance the economic contribution of the discovery.
Looking to the future, Erdogan outlined Türkiye's phased approach to ramping up natural gas production in the Black Sea.
"We had announced the completion of the first phase of production in the Black Sea. We are meeting the needs of 4 million households from the Black Sea with a daily production of 9.5 million cubic meters," he said.
The president revealed plans to double production in the second phase by 2026 and quadruple it in the third phase by 2028.
"We will continue on the path without stopping, without resting, regardless of criticism and obstacles, until we reach our goal of a fully independent Türkiye in energy," Erdogan affirmed.
Throughout his speech, President Erdogan underscored the importance of energy independence to Türkiye's future. He mentioned that Turkish seismic research and drilling ships are currently operating as far away as Somalia in pursuit of new energy resources.
"Every investment made, every facility built, and every discovery made, praise be to God, brings us one step closer to the Century of Türkiye," Erdogan concluded, referencing his vision for the country's future.
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