Turkey discovers natural gas reserve in Black Sea worth $30 billion, Erdogan says
Turkey has discovered a new reserve of 75 billion cubic metres of natural gas during drilling works in the Black Sea, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday.
"With this discovery, we will meet the natural gas needs of homes in Turkey for 3.5 years," Mr Erdogan said during an event in Istanbul.
The discovery, with an economic value of around $30 billion, was found in the Goktepe-3 well at a depth of 3,500 metres.
Turkey's daily natural gas production at its flagship Sakarya field in the Black Sea has reached around 9.5 million cubic metres, as the country ramps up its energy ambitions both at home and abroad.
Turkey, which imports more than 90 per cent of its energy needs, is pushing to cut its import bill and boost supply security by developing domestic resources and expanding international partnerships in oil and gas exploration.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
12 hours ago
- Zawya
Turkey's AJet to start flights to Syria's Damascus
Turkish Airlines subsidiary AJet said it will start flights to Damascus International from Istanbul and Ankara airports in mid-June. AJet said in a statement that flights from Istanbul's Sabiha Gokcen airport will begin from June 16. Flights will initially take place four times per week before operating daily from July, it added. Flights to Damascus from the Turkish capital Ankara will start from June 17, three-times per week, the carrier also said. Turkish Airlines resumed flights to Damascus in January after a 13-year suspension. Turkey, a close ally of the new government in Damascus, has pledged to support the country's reconstruction. Ankara has already helped with the improvement and maintenance of Syria's airports, the Turkish transport minister has said. (Reporting by Ceyda Caglayan, Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
Middle East Eye
14 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Turkey delivers T129 Atak helicopters to Somalia
Turkey has ramped up its defence support to Somalia in its fight against al-Shabab militant group this week, following a phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Somali counterpart on Saturday. Sources familiar with the issue told Middle East Eye that Ankara delivered three T129 Atak attack helicopters to the Somali government this week. Ankara also simultaneously handed over two utility helicopters to the Somali navy, as part of a defence agreement signed between the two governments in February 2024, which mandated Ankara to establish a naval force for Mogadishu. Turkey has been training several Somali pilots to operate Atak helicopters for the past year. The shipment of the helicopters was delivered after the pilots completed their final stage of training. Open-source data shows that around six Turkish A400M and Qatari C-17A transport aircraft have arrived in Mogadishu over the past week, potentially transporting the helicopters. MEE has reached out to Turkey's defence ministry for a comment. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters 'The delivery of the Atak helicopters to Somalia is an indication that Ankara is not only aiming to transfer weapons but also to build up an integrated war capacity for Somalia,' said one of the sources familiar with the shipment. During the phone call on Saturday, Erdogan told Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud that Turkey supports Somalia's vision of development through democracy. Erdogan also affirmed that Turkey's support to Somalia in counter-terrorism efforts would continue and be further expanded, according to a statement released by the Turkish presidency. The timing of Turkey's military aid suggests it aims to stabilise Somalia ahead of elections planned for 2026, which would be held through direct voting instead of tribal electoral system. Somalia has faced a resurgence of al-Shabab attacks in recent months. The group, which aims to topple the government, has intensified its militant campaign in the country. Al-Shabab has made significant gains in central Somalia, notably capturing villages south of the capital Mogadishu last month. However, the group made similar advances in previous years, later abandoning its positions due to military pressure from Somali forces. Unprecedented military support Middle East Eye reported in April that Ankara has boosted its military presence in Mogadishu, doubling its troop numbers in the country to over 500. These forces are tasked with protecting and maintaining the Turkish military base, Turksom, as well as operating armed drones and securing Mogadishu's ports. How Somalia-Turkey defence deal torpedoed a rival UAE agreement Read More » Although Turkish TB2 Bayraktar drones were already in operation, Ankara has recently transported two Akinci drones to Somalia. These drones, capable of flying at high altitudes for extended periods, are considered more effective against al-Shabab due to their advanced night vision and 24-hour operational capabilities. Turkey's unprecedented increase in military support - at a time when the US is scaling back its assistance to Somalia - signals Ankara's intent to prevent a power vacuum in the country. While the US has doubled its air strikes targeting Islamic State affiliates in Somalia this year, it also cut funding in March to the country's elite Danab unit, a force that has played a crucial role in the fight against al-Shabab. Turkey has maintained a significant presence in Mogadishu since Erdogan's first visit to Somalia in 2011, which was conducted as part of a humanitarian mission. Since then, the relationship has deepened into a comprehensive commercial and security partnership. Last year, Ankara also signed an energy exploration and drilling agreement with Somalia, which has led to Turkey sending technical exploration ships to the Somali coast. The exploration data has not yet been publicly revealed. However, during televised remarks on Monday, Erdogan said that 'good news' on energy would be forthcoming in due time. This has led to speculation in Ankara that the announcement may be related to Somalia's energy resources.
Zawya
20 hours ago
- Zawya
AD Ports Group opens Tbilisi Intermodal Hub
UAE - AD Ports Group, an enabler of integrated trade, transport and logistics solutions, has announced the inauguration of the first phase of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub, Georgia's first modern, bonded container and intermodal terminal, and a key logistics link in the group's emerging Central Asian transport strategy. The state-of-the-art, rail-linked logistics centre connects the Caspian and Black seas through Georgia, forming a vital part of the Middle Corridor, the shortest trade route between Asia and Europe. The inauguration was attended by Irakli Kobakhidze, Prime Minister of Georgia; Levan Davitashvili, First Vice Prime Minister of Georgia; Ahmed bin Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Ahmed Ebrahim AlNuaimi, UAE Ambassador to Georgia; Giorgi Janjgava, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, the Georgian Ambassador to UAE; as well as Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Managing Director and Group CEO of AD Ports Group; Jemal Inaishvili, Founder of Inveco; and Abdulaziz Zayed Al Shamsi, Regional CEO - AD Ports Group. Al Sayegh said: 'Under the visionary leadership of the UAE Government, we are committed to enhancing international cooperation with strategic global partners who share our vision for mutual benefit and sustainable prosperity. The inauguration of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub exemplifies this commitment by actively developing global trade routes and creating market opportunities for UAE and Georgian businesses." AD Ports Group owns a 60% stake in Tbilisi Intermodal Hub, and the rest is held by Inveco, a local Georgian investment advisory firm, and Wilhelmsen Group. The first phase of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub is Tbilisi Dry Port, an Inland Container Depot (ICD) handling container cargo delivered by rail and truck. The group and its partners plan to expand the facility significantly by early 2026 to add long-term warehousing, additional container yards and truck parking, and a fourth railway spur, to transform it into a full-service import-and-export logistics hub for all of Central Asia, a fast-growing region that AD Ports Group is targeting as a strategic growth corridor. Captain Al Shamisi said: 'The inauguration of the first phase of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub is a significant step in our long-term plan to develop the Middle Corridor into a viable East-West trade corridor through Central Asia, where the volume of goods is expected to triple by 2030, according to The World Bank. Under the wise guidance of our leadership in the UAE, AD Ports Group is dedicated to pioneering the strategic, low-impact trade corridors of a sustainable future. With our investments in Tbilisi and elsewhere along the Middle Corridor, we are strengthening global supply chains through investments that foster economic growth and job creation, by creating efficient trade pathways that cater to the emerging economies of Central Asia.' As it expands in its second and third phases, Tbilisi Intermodal Hub will process many types of cargo, including containerised vehicles, and forms of containerised bulk and break-bulk commodities such as minerals, ores, and fertilizers playing an important role in the supply chains of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, as well as an East-West crossroads for goods between China and Europe. Tbilisi Intermodal Hub's soft launch commenced on May 3 when it received its first shipment of 30 containers, each carrying over 26 tonnes of cargo, via rail link from an MSC ship docked at Georgia's Black Sea Port of Batumi. An inland extension of Batumi and the Port of Poti, Georgia's key seaports, Tbilisi Intermodal Hub will play a vital role as a logistics staging hub accelerating trade flows across the Caucasus region and Central Asia. The facility has received both customs zone authorisation and Georgia's first railway infrastructure operation and safety certification, from the state Rail Transport Agency. Jemal Inaishvili, Founder of Inveco, Georgia, said: 'The inauguration of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub is a major step for the development of the logistics sector in Georgia and Central Asia. Leveraging its extensive expertise in port operations and logistics, AD Ports Group is introducing advanced management practices to Georgia's logistics sector. This collaboration not only enhances the operational efficiency of the Tbilisi Intermodal Hub but bolsters economic ties between the UAE and Georgia.' The inauguration of the Georgian intermodal logistics hub is a milestone in the group's strategy of developing the Middle Corridor into a viable, modern high-volume trade corridor linking China and Europe by overland route through Central Asia with the Group's ports and maritime assets in Türkiye and Pakistan. Spanning 7,000 km and requiring a journey of 10 to 15 days, the Middle Corridor is expected to handle up to 1.9 million Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of container cargo annually by 2040, as manufacturers seek to avoid longer seaborne routes. Beyond serving the Georgian Black Sea ports of Poti and Batumi as a depot for international shipping lines, the intermodal facility will function as a regional logistics hub for goods destined for neighbouring countries such as Armenia and Azerbaijan. Tbilisi Intermodal Hub is designed for scale and efficiency, featuring three 600-metre-long railway spurs, two dedicated locomotives for shunting connected to the main rail sorting station, a 50,000 sq m container yard equipped with brand-new three-unit reach stackers, and Class B warehouse, covering 2,500 sq m, and a fleet of forklifts and customs-licensed weighing scales. In a second phase to be completed by early 2026, a fourth rail spur will be added, as well as a Class A warehouse covering 9,800 sq m, and additional container yards. Tbilisi Intermodal Hub will initially handle up to 96,000 TEUs annually. The facility enables flexible cargo flows from Central Asia and the Far East via multiple transport modes -- railcars, shipper-owned containers, and trucks -- with seamless cross-docking to ocean carriers for global distribution, and vice versa. By early 2026, the second phase of construction will more than double the annual handling capacity of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub to up to 200,000 TEUs. Besides its connection to Georgia's national rail network, Tbilisi Intermodal Hub has direct access to the country's international highways, bypassing city congestion, and close proximity to major border crossings— being only 70 km from both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and just 7 km from Tbilisi International Airport. The inauguration of Tbilisi Intermodal Hub marks a significant milestone in AD Ports Group's mission to enhance global trade routes and logistics capabilities. This state-of-the-art facility not only strengthens the economic ties between the UAE and Georgia but also positions both nations as pivotal players in the Middle Corridor, AD Ports said. Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
