Crude oil extracted from a mountainous region in southeastern Türkiye now meets approximately 8% of the country’s daily oil demand, a top official said on Monday, following a rapid rise in production since the field's discovery about four years ago.
The output in the Gabar region of southeastern province of Şırnak has surpassed 80,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar.
"With this discovery, which began in 2021, we have reached a daily output of 81,000 barrels, covering nearly 8% of Türkiye daily consumption from this site alone," Bayraktar noted.
"We still have a lot of work ahead, with promising new exploration areas to develop," he told a ceremony held at the Şehit Esma Çevik-1 Well in Gabar to mark May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day.
Bayraktar described the project as one of the most important undertakings in Türkiye's path toward energy independence.
Bayraktar noted that efforts are underway not only to increase production but also to explore new reserves across the region. The current output is just shy of 100,000 barrels per day that the government aims to reach in Gabar soon.
"With new fields and discoveries, this project will hopefully expand further, reducing Türkiye's dependence on foreign energy and making an even stronger contribution to the economy in the coming period," said the minister.
Türkiye is almost entirely dependent on energy resources from abroad, which left it vulnerable to rising costs that surged following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
It imports over 90% of its energy needs but is pushing to cut its import bill and boost supply security by developing domestic resources in oil and gas exploration.
The Şırnak province had long been a victim of PKK terrorist attacks and has suffered from underdevelopment for decades. Years of counterterrorism operations eventually enabled a major transformation of the region that is now home to one of the country's most important oil reserves.
A week ago, the PKK announced it would lay down arms and dissolve itself, which will eventually mark an end to decades of violence that killed thousands in Türkiye and cost what is estimated to be about $1.8 trillion in counterterrorism efforts.
The decision promises to boost NATO member Türkiye's stability and revitalize long-stalled economic potential in the country's eastern and southeastern regions, which have been heavily affected by the PKK attacks.
Beyond its economic value, the Gabar project holds even greater significance due to its impact on the region, according to Bayraktar.
More than 3,000 young workers, most of them locals, are currently employed in the field, he said.
"This region was once associated with terrorism and was considered inaccessible. However, thanks to our efforts, we have built a 680-kilometer (422.53-mile) road network across these mountains," Bayraktar said.
"The youth of this area are choosing to stay, and Şırnak is transforming from a city that loses residents to one that attracts them."
Türkiye's total crude oil production has risen gradually over recent years from about 57,000 barrels daily in 2019 to an average of 80,000 barrels in 2023.
The figures are expected to increase to 200,000 barrels per day soon.
Bayraktar also referred to Türkiye's recent discovery of 75 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in the Black Sea, which he said alone could meet residential natural gas needs for 3.5 years.
The discovery, with an economic value of around $30 billion, was found in the Göktepe-3 well at a depth of 3,500 meters, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced on Saturday.
"Our production and new exploration efforts are continuing" in the Black Sea, said Bayraktar.
Türkiye's daily gas production at its flagship Sakarya field in the Black Sea has reached around 9.5 million cubic meters.
The field off the northwestern Zonguldak province is estimated to contain 710 bcm of gas. The reserve was gradually discovered between 2020 and 2022.
It accounted for about 6.6% of Türkiye's 53 bcm gas consumption last year, calculations show. It will meet approximately 30% of the nation's annual gas needs once the production reaches total capacity.
The output is aimed to be lifted to 40 million cubic meters per day in the final phase, enough to supply up to 15 million households.
