Turkey has dramatically increased its natural gas exports, thanks to the booming Sakarya gas field in the Black Sea.

From January to August 2024, Turkey exported 1.18 billion cubic meters of natural gas—a staggering 560% rise compared to the same period last year, BGNES reports.Bulgaria leads as the top importer, taking in over 80% of these exports. Hungary follows with nearly 20%, while North Macedonia and Serbia import only small amounts.

This surge comes as Turkey ramps up production from the Sakarya field, operational since 2023. Drilling vessels named Fatih, Yavuz, and Kanuni have boosted output, with the Filos gas processing plant currently producing 6.6 million cubic meters daily.

Officials plan to increase this to 10 million cubic meters per day by early 2025, enough to supply more than 4 million homes.

Looking ahead, Turkey is expanding offshore operations with a giant floating gas production vessel expected to raise capacity beyond 20 million cubic meters daily by 2026.Meanwhile, Bulgaria is pushing its own Black Sea exploration efforts.

Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov recently signed a deal with Shell for exploration in the Khan Tervel block, while OMV and Numed prepare to drill a fifth well in the Khan Asparuh block. The Bulgarian Energy Holding is also taking an active role in these projects.

Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov stressed the importance of these moves for Bulgaria’s energy security: “The cleanest and cheapest gas for Bulgaria will be Bulgarian.”With Turkey’s exports surging and Bulgaria investing in domestic production, the region’s energy landscape is rapidly evolving.