Turkish geologists to try new approach to oil exploration

Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar highlighted progress at the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea.

He announced that the Osman Gazi Floating Production Platform will soon be commissioned, capable of producing and transmitting 9-10 million cubic meters of gas per day to shore, effectively doubling current output and supplying local gas to 8 million households.

Looking ahead, he revealed that a second floating production platform, twice the size of Osman Gazi and with a daily capacity of 20-25 million cubic meters, is scheduled to arrive in Türkiye by March or April 2028.

With both platforms operational by the winter of 2028, Türkiye aims to meet the natural gas needs of 16-17 million households domestically, the minister added.

He also pointed to unconventional oil exploration in Diyarbakır, where horizontal drilling is planned for 2026.

“That year will be when we test this unconventional production method. A positive result there could take us to a very different level. It could be one of the defining developments of 2026,” Bayraktar said.