TURKEY ANNOUNCES SIGNIFICANT GAS DISCOVERY IN BLACK SEA

Turkey announced its biggest gas discovery in the Black Sea on August 21, 2020. Two days ago an On-line magazine Middle East Eye (MEE) has quoted Turkish Minster for Energy and Natural Resources, Fatih Donmez as saying that Turkey struck a massive reservoir of gas at Danube Block, 100 nautical miles off the coast of Turkish province Zonguldak in the Black Sea.

Turkish Drillship Fatih drilled Tuna-1 well to the depth of 3500m sub sea .Water depth is approx. 2000m and location is closed to Romania and Bulgaria maritime boundaries. Earlier a seismic survey was undertaken by state-of-the- art ship Barbaros Hayreddiun P, named after famous Ottomam grand Admiral.

On Friday Turkish President Recip Tayyib Erdogan, confirmed the initial report by saying “My Lord has opened the door to unprecedented wealth for us.” According to Turkish President, initial estimates showed 11.3 trillion cubic feet of gas in place and production is expected in 2023 coincide with 100th anniversary of Turkish Republic. Talking to reporters, Erdogan said “This reserve is actually part of a much bigger source. 

God willing, much more will come. As a country that depended on the outside for gas for years, we look to the future with more security now,” he said. “There will be no stopping until we become a net exporter in energy.” Newly discovered gas field is given the name after coastal province of Sakarya.

Turkey spends $35-50 billion per years on imports of Oil mainly from Russia and Azerbaijan. Minister of Energy has given a target of Energy self-sufficiency by 2022. Meanwhile, according to Bloomberg, an American broadcast channel, a significant gas field has been discovered in shallow waters off the coast of Kiykoy, a Turkish village in north western Turkey.

Courtesy: Masood Abdali, Pakistani Energy Specialist, based in US,
Twitter: Masood@MasoodAbdali