---
title: Deepwater Gas Extraction & Subsea Production
type: technology
url: "https://www.envisioning.com/research/grid/turkey__deepwater-gas-extraction-technology"
hub: grid
summary: Turkey operates 4 deep-sea drillships in the Black Sea Sakarya field producing 9.5M m³/day, with 2 new 7th-gen vessels and a $30B+ discovery announced in 2025.
---

# Deepwater Gas Extraction & Subsea Production

Turkey operates 4 deep-sea drillships in the Black Sea Sakarya field producing 9.5M m³/day, with 2 new 7th-gen vessels and a $30B+ discovery announced in 2025.
- Technology Readiness Level: 8/9
- Impact: 3/5
- Investment: 5/5
Turkey has built one of the world's most active state-owned deepwater drilling fleets — four drillships (Fatih, Yavuz, Kanuni, Abdülhamid Han) operating simultaneously in the Black Sea Sakarya gas field, with two new 7th-generation vessels capable of drilling to 12,000 meters due for deployment by early 2026. The flagship Sakarya field, discovered in 2020 via the Tuna-1 well, had reached 9.5 million cubic meters per day of production by April 2025.

The Sakarya field is expected to supply 30% of Turkey's natural gas demand once fully developed. Phase 2 aims to double production through 30 additional wells and deployment of a floating production unit (FPSO) to process gas offshore. A new $30 billion deepwater gas discovery was announced in May 2025, further expanding Turkey's Black Sea hydrocarbon portfolio. For a country that imports nearly all its natural gas, this represents a structural shift in energy security.

Turkey's approach — operating its own drillship fleet through state company TPAO rather than relying on international oil majors — mirrors the sovereignty model applied in defense. The operational expertise in ultra-deep Black Sea drilling (2,000m+ water depth) creates exportable technical capability, while the discovery pipeline reduces Turkey's vulnerability to Russian gas supply disruptions and strengthens its negotiating position as a regional energy hub.

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Source: Envisioning — Technology Research Institute (https://www.envisioning.com/research/grid/turkey__deepwater-gas-extraction-technology)