Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar revealed that Turkey is surveying a potential gas field in Russia and will continue these efforts.
"We are actively working at a mine in Russia and have plans to expand this activity," Milliyet quoted Alparslan Bayraktar as saying.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said that Turkey's daily gas production at the Sakarya field in the Black Sea has reached about 9.5 million m3 as the country pushes for domestic and foreign energy ambitions.
Speaking to reporters in Giresun province, Alparslan Bayraktar Minister said that Turkey aims to complete an agreement next month that would allow state-owned energy company TPAO and a foreign partner to explore a shipment of oil and gas in the Black Sea, off the coast of neighboring Bulgaria.
"We are about to complete an agreement in the Bulgaria Economic exclusive region. It is likely that next month, TPAO and a foreign company will sign a deal for a shipment in Bulgarian waters, Reuters quoted Alparslan Bayraktar as saying.
According to Reuters calculations, the Sakarya field will provide about 6.6% of Turkey's total gas consumption of up to 53 billion cubic meters in 2024.
Turkey imports more than 90% of its energy needs. The country is making efforts to cut imports, strengthen supply security through developing domestic resources and expanding international partnerships in oil and gas exploration.
According to Bayraktar, Turkey is also interested in two new mines in the Caspian Sea - an area with Azerbaijan - and new mines in northern and southern Iraq.
In Somalia, where Turkey has just signed an oil and gas exploration agreement, the seismic data collection is expected to end at the end of May, and a decision on the exploration drilling could be made at the end of the year.
In addition to previously granted offshore exploitation licenses, Turkey has recently received three more oil and gas shipments on land in the African Court nation, according to Bayraktar.
TPAO also signed a deal with Pakistan companies to bid for an offshore exploration license off Pakistan. Turkey is seeking to establish a partnership to develop oil and gas fields in Turkmenistan.
Bloomberg pointed out that Turkey, a country that is almost completely dependent on imported oil and gas, has sought to increase domestic and foreign production in recent years.
Turkey wants to take advantage of its geographical location to become a gas hub and meet the needs of the European Union (EU) and the Middle East. Turkey is conducting talks with Bulgaria to discuss plans to increase gas transport capacity at the two countries' common borders to boost gas flows into Europe.
