Daily oil production in Şırnak, Türkiye's southeastern province that had long been a victim of a heavy terrorist presence, has reached a new peak, a top official said on Friday.
The output in the Gabar mountain region of Şırnak has reached 78,000 barrels per day (bpd), Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar wrote on social media platform X.
Bayraktar described the milestone as a significant step in Türkiye's journey toward energy independence.
"Yesterday it was dark, today it is bright, yesterday there was sorrow, today there is hope," Bayraktar said. He added that Gabar is a symbol of a Türkiye free from terrorism, a strong future, and energy independence.
The new peak is just shy of 100,000 barrels per day that the government aims to reach in Gabar soon. A year ago, the output there stood at 37,000 barrels.
"Over 3,000 jobs, 95 wells, and daily production of 78,000 barrels of oil – a significant milestone in Türkiye's journey toward energy independence," Bayraktar wrote.
Türkiye is almost entirely dependent on imports to cover its energy needs, which left it vulnerable to rising costs that surged following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Over the years, it ramped up its onshore and offshore hydrocarbon explorations to curb external dependence, with the Gabar region playing a major role.
The Şırnak province had long been a victim of PKK terrorist attacks and has suffered from underdevelopment for decades. Years of counterterrorism operations have eventually enabled a major transformation of the region that is now home to one of the country's most important oil reserves.
The discoveries in Gabar increased the country's proven oil reserves to about 1.2 billion barrels. Türkiye is estimated to consume about 1 million barrels of oil a day.
Türkiye's total crude oil production has risen gradually over recent years from about 57,000 barrels daily in 2019 to average 80,000 barrels in 2023.
The figures are expected to be increased to 200,000 barrels per day soon.
