Türkiye is gearing up for the deployment of its first floating production platform to the Black Sea region, with send-off expected later this week.
The country aims to double its domestic natural gas production from the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea to 20 million cubic meters (mcm) per day through the deployment of the platform, the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry said Thursday.
Accordingly, the ministry announced that the Osman Gazi floating production platform will depart from the Filyos Port in the northern province of Zonguldak on Oct.17, with the start of production expected for early 2027.
The platform will operate around the clock for 20 years at a location about 170 kilometers (106 miles) offshore, processing natural gas before delivering it to Türkiye's national grid.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the platform would increase the number of households whose natural gas needs are met by domestic production from 4 million to 8 million.
"We take pride in bringing historic significance to our goal of full energy independence in the 'Century of Türkiye' with this giant project, which will contribute $3.5 billion annually to our national economy," Bayraktar was quoted as saying in the statement.
The platform is expected to generate an economic contribution equivalent to around $10 million per day at current natural gas prices, the ministry said.
Platform ready for Black Sea mission
First unveiled by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in July 2024, Osman Gazi measures 298.5 meters (979 feet) in length, 56 meters in width and 29.5 meters in depth.
The platform was sent from Istanbul to Filyos in May 2025 for modifications, certification and preparation for its Black Sea mission.
Its upper structure houses 21 facilities. Of these, 11 were rebuilt to meet the technical requirements of the Sakarya Gas Field, with seven manufactured in Türkiye and four abroad.
The remaining 10 facilities were modified and integrated into the platform.
Around 7,000 people took part in the maintenance and preparation work, which included the installation of 642 kilometers of electrical cables and approximately 30 kilometers of piping.
A 96-meter-high flare tower weighing 260 metric tons was installed in August to safely dispose of hydrocarbon gases released during emergency operations.
Production to start in early 2027
With accommodation capacity for 140 personnel, Osman Gazi will function as an offshore production facility, processing gas extracted from the Sakarya field before transferring it to the national grid.
The platform is expected to raise daily output from the field's current level of 9.5 million cubic meters to 20 million cubic meters, completing the second phase of development at the Sakarya Gas Field.
The ministry said the first gas is expected to be flared by the end of this year, ahead of the planned start of production in early 2027.