Turkey is preparing for more exploratory drilling in a new area in the Black Sea, adjacent to the region's Sakarya field, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said Sunday.

Dönmez shared a video on his Twitter account with the note: "Countdown to Black Sea gas."

Stating that Turkey aims to deliver Black Sea gas to citizens in the first quarter of 2023, Dönmez said: "We are preparing for exploratory drilling in a new area adjacent to the Sakarya field. I hope we will share similar good news in 2022."

Turkey has so far discovered 540 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in the Black Sea region’s Sakarya field, its largest find.

Dönmez said in June that Turkey could carry out more exploratory drilling in the Black Sea in the first quarter of 2022 at the latest.

A report earlier in June 2021 claimed that Turkey has shared data on the Black Sea hydrocarbon discoveries with U.S. energy giants Chevron and Exxon Mobil ahead of possible cooperation in extracting the gas.

Officials from the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) had also signaled that Baku's state energy company and Ankara's state energy company Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) could work together in the development and production of the Black Sea gas reserves.

Turkey plans to begin pumping gas from the Black Sea field in 2023 but must first build the offshore pipeline network and processing facilities. The field is expected to reach sustained peak production starting in 2027.

The Black Sea find could transform Turkey’s dependence on Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan for energy.