Gas exploration in Black Sea to cover 10,000 square kilometers

Seismic analysis activities will be conducted in a 10,000-square-meter area in the Black Sea for new natural gas discoveries, Energy Minister Fatih Dönmez told a group of journalists on March 3.

"We are aiming to drill a new exploratory well in one of the gas fields that is deemed to have potential," Dönmez said.

Deepwater seismic explorations for hydrocarbon resources in an area of 250 square kilometers in Turkey's Black Sea maritime zone have been completed, he added.

"The 3D seismic exploration activities are currently underway," he said, adding that the upward or downward revisions for the previously announced 405 billion cubic meters of natural gas reserve in the Sakarya Gas Field were possible.

Kanuni to set sail in April

Turkey's first national drillship, Fatih, discovered the country's largest natural gas find last year. It also marked the biggest offshore gas discovery worldwide in 2020.

Natural gas from the newly opened Tuna-1 well, which is located about 170 kilometers off the Zonguldak coast, will be brought ashore by the state-run Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO).

"We will drill another 30 to 40 wells in the Sakarya Gas Field. We will bring the gas ashore with at least two pipelines," Dönmez said.

The Fatih drillship continued drilling appraisal wells in the region, the first of which was completed at the Türkali-1 in January. The drillship is currently working on the second well, the Türkali-2, in water depths over 3,000 meters.

Turkey's third drillship, Kanuni, will join drilling activities next month after completing its preparations at the Filyos Port, the minister said.

After joining the Turkish Energy Ministry's fleet, Kanuni departed Istanbul toward the...

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