According to Anadolu Agency, Türkiye’s first floating production platform, Osman Gazi, is scheduled to depart from Filyos Port in Zonguldak on 17 October for its deployment in the Black Sea. In a statement, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources said that Osman Gazi would double Türkiye’s domestic natural gas production at the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea. The platform, which is expected to operate in the Black Sea for 20 years, is intended to increase daily natural gas production at the Sakarya Gas Field from 9.5 million cubic metres to 20 million cubic metres. First unveiled to the public by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in July 2024, the floating facility measures 298.5 metres in length, 56 metres in width and 29.5 metres in height.
The platform underwent accreditation and certification procedures in Filyos, Zonguldak, and a series of modifications in preparation for deployment in the Black Sea. The first gas flaring is expected this year, with production scheduled to begin in 2027. With accommodation for a crew of 140, Osman Gazi will operate for 20 years at a site about 170 kilometres offshore after leaving port. Functioning much like a factory, the platform will process the extracted natural gas, prepare it for use and feed it into the national transmission network. According to Anadolu Agency, the platform’s daily natural gas output is estimated to have an economic value of approximately $10 million at current prices, contributing around $3.5 billion annually to the Turkish economy.