Turkey Hopes Black Sea Gas Will Help Cut Reliance On Imports

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th November, 2022) Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez estimates that domestic production at the Sakarya gas field in the Black Sea could help his country reduce reliance on imports by up to 30%.

Turkey plans to invest some $10 billion in the operation that will pump natural gas from the offshore field in its exclusive economic zone in the western Black Sea.

Production is expected to begin in 2023.

"When we start full production we will be using our own gas to cover 25-30% of our total needs. Our dependence on imports of natural gas from abroad will drop to 70%," he was quoted as saying by the Hurriyet daily.

Turkey's gas imports from Russia account for 44% of its total gas consumption. The Sakarya gas field is estimated to hold 540 billion cubic meters of gas worth some $400 billion.