Türkiye's efforts to boost domestic oil and gas exploration as part of the nearly decade-old domestic energy strategy have found a new dimension with the extraction of shale oil in the country's southeast, according to an exclusive report on Sunday.
Daily newspaper Sabah visited and filmed the area where Türkiye’s first shale oil was extracted from a depth of some 4,000 meters.
The oil extracted from the wells is reportedly of high quality, the report said.
Accordingly, as part of the "Domestic and National Energy" initiative launched during the tenure of former Energy and Natural Resources Minister Berat Albayrak, efforts to bring underground resources into the economy are continuing.
Under the projects being carried out under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, areas that were once known for security incidents have now begun to stand out for their oil resources.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar recently made several statements regarding shale oil. Attention is now focused on the city of Diyarbakır, where officials have earlier announced plans for unconventional oil production through a partnership with the leading U.S. firm.
The report by Sabah on Sunday, said the newspaper filmed shale oil being extracted using modern technologies and methods in the area between Diyarbakır’s Silvan and Bismil districts.
Engineers descended to a depth of approximately 4,000 meters underground. The operation was carried out using unconventional methods, and oil has now been extracted. According to experts, the quality of this oil is considered to be quite high, the report suggested.
Officials stated that the quality of the shale oil is comparable to that of oil extracted in Middle Eastern countries, it added.
In an area where peace and security have been established, Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) continues working around the clock, and the oil extracted from between the rocks has been filmed for the first time, the report added, featuring several photos.
Shale oil is being extracted at a field located between Bismil and Silvan in Diyarbakır, an area that was once difficult to access because of unrest and security concerns.
Drilling for oil is also being carried out in rural areas of Diyarbakır’s Sur district, the report indicated.
As these efforts continue, Diyarbakır carries the potential and is expected to become “Türkiye’s oil hub” in the coming years.
Bayraktar had earlier announced that drilling operations for shale oil had begun in Diyarbakır in cooperation with a U.S. company.
He said that the reserves, with "a total potential value of $540 billion," could potentially be two to three times larger than the Gabar field in Şırnak, and that shale oil could contribute $8 billion to the economy each year.
The Gabar oil field is currently known as the largest discovery in the country, and the output there is exceeding 83,000 barrels per day (bpd).
Meanwhile, as part of the domestic efforts, TPAO is continuing its activities in other cities across the region.
As part of these efforts, work is continuing at an exploration well drilled last year in the rural area of the Muradiye district in Van. Reports indicate that an oil discovery in the area could be imminent. Exploration activities are also reportedly being carried out in rural areas of Hakkari and Şırnak, according to Sabah.
