Türkiye's gas reserves in Black Sea now totalled $1T: Erdogan

Türkiye's president has announced the discovery of an additional 58 billion cubic metres of natural gas in the Black Sea.

"Our drillship Fatih has explored 58 billion cubic metres of natural gas reserves, 3,023 meters under the sea, at the Caycuma 1 block," said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following a Cabinet meeting on Monday at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.

Stressing that Türkiye's natural gas reserve in the Black Sea totals 710 billion cubic metres with a market value of $1 trillion, Erdogan said the country's ultimate goal is to declare energy independence from foreign oil and natural gas as soon as possible.

"With our new discovery at Caycuma-1, our gas reserve in the Black Sea has risen by 170 billion cubic metres to 710 billion cubic metres," he said.

"Our new exploration will pave the way for similar explorations in other geological fields adjacent to the region. We will launch new drilling as soon as possible," Erdogan added.

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Exploring for hydrocarbon resources

Erdogan said last month that Türkiye is on track for the Sakarya gas field to go online in 2023. 

He said on Monday that the newly discovered Caycuma-1 field would be connected to the Sakarya field and from there to the national grid.

Türkiye has also been exploring for hydrocarbon resources in the Mediterranean.

Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin has floated the idea of setting up a "gas hub" in Türkiye following explosions that damaged Russia's Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea and halted its direct gas sales to Germany.

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Counter-terrorism efforts

On the country's counterterrorism efforts, Erdogan announced that Türkiye "will close the gaps in our 30-kilometre (18.6-mile) deep security line and take new steps to completely eliminate the threats posed by (terrorist groups in) Syria to our country."

"We will enter a new phase of struggle that will destroy the entire infrastructure and resources of the terrorist group (PKK/YPG), which it receives strength from, as well as its armed capacity," he said.

The PKK and its Syrian branch the YPG have used terrorist bases across Türkiye’s border in northern Iraq and northern Syria to plot and carry out attacks on Türkiye. Along the Syrian border, the group has worked to create a terrorist corridor along the border, threatening both Syrian locals and nearby Turkish residents.

In its more than 35-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and the EU – has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

Since 2016, Ankara has launched a trio of successful anti-terror operations across its border in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a terror corridor and enable the peaceful settlement of residents: Euphrates Shield (2016), Olive Branch (2018), and Peace Spring (2019).

Turkish officials have suggested another such operation is coming.

READ MORE: Türkiye ready to make joint counterterrorism efforts with Syria, Russia