Turkiye Discovers 92.4 Billion Cubic Meters of Natural Gas Worth USD 37 Billion

Ankara: Türkiye has announced a major energy milestone with the discovery of 92.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas this year, valued at approximately USD 37 billion, according to the country’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar.

Speaking during a press conference while presenting the 2026 budget of the Ministry of Energy and its affiliated bodies to the Planning and Budget Committee of the Turkish Parliament, Bayraktar revealed that the bulk of the discovery, 75 billion cubic meters, was made in the Goktepe-3 well in May.

The minister emphasized that Türkiye continues to strengthen its position in the global energy market, adding that the country has achieved its highest-ever levels of oil and gas production.

Bayraktar stated, “Our daily oil production now stands at 180,000 barrels, which is enough to fuel approximately 7 million vehicles daily.” He noted that oil output from Mount Gabar in Şırnak province has increased from 57,000 barrels to 81,000 barrels per day, helping to reduce the trade deficit by about USD 2 billion annually.

Looking ahead, Türkiye plans to conduct 300 drilling operations in 2026, with 282 onshore and 18 offshore. Over the past decade, the ministry has built the world’s fourth-largest exploration and production fleet, consisting of six drilling vessels and two seismic survey ships.

Bayraktar also highlighted progress in the Sakarya gas field in the Black Sea, where production is expected to reach 20 million cubic meters per day in 2026, supported by the new floating platform “Osman Gazi.” By 2028, output is projected to increase to 45 million cubic meters per day in the project’s third phase.

The discovery and ongoing expansion of Türkiye’s energy infrastructure are expected to bolster energy independence, reduce import dependency, and strengthen national economic resilience in the coming years.