Türkiye has discovered a new natural gas reserve of 75 billion cubic metres (bcm) in the Black Sea, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday.

"We have discovered a new natural gas reserve of 75 billion cubic metres in the field. With this amount, we will be able to meet the residential demand alone for approximately 3.5 years," Erdogan said during his speech at the opening of Istanbul Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital.

"Our work at the Goktepe-3 well (in the Black Sea), which began on March 27 with our 7th-generation drilling ship Abdulhamid Han, was completed as of yesterday," he said.

Erdogan emphasised Ankara's commitment to energy independence.

"We will continue on our path without stopping, without resting, and without paying heed to criticism or obstacles until we reach our goal of a fully energy-independent Türkiye," he added.

Towards energy independence

In recent years, Türkiye has announced a significant gas discovery in the Black Sea, revealing estimated reserves of 710 billion cubic meters. Currently, the country's domestic gas production covers approximately 7-8% of the country's natural gas needs, marking a crucial step toward its energy independence and reducing reliance on imports.

The country has also been making consecutive moves to secure its energy future with two major LNG deals this month, reinforcing its ambition to become a regional energy hub.