There may be more gas finds in Black Sea, says minister

ANKARA

Work is underway for natural gas discoveries, and there could be more gas finds in the Black Sea, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has said.

Daily gas production in the Black Sea field is currently at 2.2 million cubic meters but will increase to 40 million cubic meters, the minister said in an interview on broadcaster CNN Türk.

“But Türkiye’s natural gas needs is more than that. We also have to do more drillings.”

The drilling ships Fatih, Kanuni and Yavuz are all out in the field as studies continue for new discoveries, Bayraktar said.

“We believe there may be more discoveries in the region we call the Sakarya Gas Field, and we will focus on exploration activities there. This is where we focus because we found the gas here,” the minister furthered.

There will be no increases in the price of natural gas this winter, Bayraktar also said.

Stressing that the country is dependent on foreign energy resources, he said: “Türkiye needs to end its foreign dependency. The goal in the next 30 years is to achieve full independence [in energy].”

“We surveyed almost the entire Black Sea. With the discoveries we will make, we will end our dependency on foreign energy,” he added.

He reiterated that the aim is to increase daily oil production in the Gabar region from the current more than 32,000 barrels to 100,000 barrels by the end of this year, which will meet 20 percent of Türkiye’s needs.

Oil in the Gabar field is produced from around 20 wells, the minister said.

The first reactor of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant will come online on Oct. 29 this year, which will mark the 101st anniversary of the foundation of the Turkish Republic, Bayraktar said, adding that the construction of four reactors is continuing simultaneously.

“Türkiye must have 12 reactors as well as small modular reactors. This means that Türkiye will have 20,000 megawatts of power in the next 30 years,” he said.