Total natural gas reserves in the Black Sea reached 785 billion cubic meters following new discoveries during exploration activities that began in 2020. Daily production at the Sakarya Gas Field rose to 9.5 million cubic meters, while 6.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas has been produced from the field since 2023.
First discovery made at the Tuna-1 well
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the natural gas discovery in the Black Sea to the public on Aug. 21, 2020. The 320 billion cubic meters of reserves discovered through work conducted by the Fatih drillship at the Tuna-1 well were recorded as the largest natural gas discovery in the history of the Republic.
After work at the Tuna-1 well was completed in October 2020, the reserve estimate was revised upward by 85 billion cubic meters to 405 billion cubic meters.
Reserves increased with new wells
Exploration activities in the Black Sea continued in the following years. Following Tuna-1, discoveries were made at the Amasra-1 well in June 2021, the Çaycuma-1 well in December 2022 and the Göktepe-3 well in May 2025.
With these discoveries, total natural gas reserves in the Black Sea reached 785 billion cubic meters.
Production and transmission infrastructure established
A subsea production facility was established for the development of the Sakarya Gas Field, approximately 170 kilometers north of Filyos and at a sea depth of 2,200 meters. A 170-kilometer pipeline was built between the facility and the Filyos Natural Gas Processing Facility.
Black Sea gas was brought ashore on April 20, 2023, at a ceremony attended by President Erdoğan. After processing was completed, domestic natural gas was transferred to BOTAŞ's national natural gas transmission network and made available for use on Aug. 30, 2023.
Field reaches 12 wells
The Sakarya Gas Field has reached 12 wells since production began. According to data from May 2026, 92 percent of Türkiye's total natural gas production came from the Sakarya Gas Field; daily output meets the natural gas needs of 4 million households.
Target of 45 million cubic meters in daily output
Production capacity is planned to increase gradually as new phases are brought online under the Sakarya Gas Field Development Project. Under Phase 2, the Osman Gazi Floating Production Platform is targeted to come online in the final quarter of the year, raising daily output to 20 million cubic meters.
Daily production at the field is planned to reach 45 million cubic meters when the second floating production facility, built as part of Phase 3, is integrated into the system in 2028. The project is expected to reach a total of 54 wells.
Drilling fleet operates domestically and abroad
Türkiye continues its natural gas and hydrocarbon exploration activities at home and abroad. The Abdülhamid Han, Fatih, Kanuni, Yavuz and Yıldırım drillships, the latest addition to the fleet, are operating in the Black Sea.
Abdülhamid Han and Fatih are conducting drilling operations, while Kanuni, Yavuz and Yıldırım are being used for well-completion operations. The Çağrı Bey drillship is involved in hydrocarbon exploration activities in Somalia.
Bayraktar announces production targets
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said the process that began in 2020 had ushered in a new era in Türkiye's goal of achieving energy independence. Bayraktar announced that total natural gas reserves in the Black Sea had reached 785 billion cubic meters and that daily production at the Sakarya Gas Field stood at 9.5 million cubic meters.
Bayraktar said daily production would increase to 20 million cubic meters with the Osman Gazi Floating Production Platform and to 45 million cubic meters with the second floating production platform, which is planned to come online in 2028.
