Turkey will receive part of the diesel Russia supplies to global markets under an agreement involving US President Donald Trump, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on Sunday, describing the arrangement as important for the country’s energy security.
Bayraktar said the diesel supply agreement between the United States and Russia would help Turkey meet its energy needs. Ankara relies on Russia for part of its energy supplies, alongside Iran, Azerbaijan and other countries, while seeking to diversify its sources through agreements with the United States and other partners.
“Russia imposed restrictions on diesel exports in recent months when it began facing this problem. It has now reached a diesel agreement with Trump. Through the discussions we held, Turkey will receive part of this diesel,” Bayraktar told broadcaster Kanal 7, without providing further details.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European officials and Republican figures in the United States have strongly criticised the agreement.
Turkey targets higher natural gas production
Bayraktar also announced that Turkey plans to bring a second floating natural gas production platform into operation in the first quarter of 2028. The new platform will help raise the country’s daily gas production in the Black Sea to 45 million cubic metres.
On Saturday, Turkey sent its first floating natural gas production platform, Osman Gazi, to the Black Sea. According to Bayraktar, the platform should nearly double daily output from the country’s largest domestic gas field, Sakarya, from the current 9.5 million cubic metres to 20 million cubic metres. That production rate would equal approximately 7.3 billion cubic metres annually.
“The second floating production platform will arrive in Turkey in the first quarter of 2028, enabling us to achieve production of 25 million cubic metres. It has slightly greater capacity than Osman Gazi,” Bayraktar said.
“With 45 million cubic metres, we will meet the natural gas needs of three out of every four households in Turkey using our own gas,” he added.
Bayraktar also said the second platform would help increase Turkey’s daily production at the field to 550,000 barrels of oil equivalent.
Turkey remains heavily dependent on gas imports
Turkey ranks among Europe’s largest natural gas markets, consuming 59 billion cubic metres last year. The country still relies on imports to meet almost all its natural gas needs, as domestic production reached just 3.1 billion cubic metres last year, primarily from the Sakarya field.
Bayraktar also said planned hydrocarbon exploration activities off the coast of Pakistan had been delayed by approximately six months because of the regional impact of the war in Iran.
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