“With the Black Sea gas, we will significantly decrease foreign dependency”

Speaking at an event for the flow test of the natural gas from Türkali-2 well, President Erdoğan said: 'We have ended our foreign dependency with the technical competence we have achieved in drilling. We have added exploration and drilling vessels to our fleet. We have made sure that these vessels are the best of their classes following their maintenance and upgrade in our shipyards. We will decrease foreign dependency in terms of resources with the entry into service of the Black Sea gas soon.'

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan addressed via videoconference an event for the flow test of the natural gas extracted from Türkali-2 well.

'WE HAVE ENDED OUR FOREIGN DEPENDENCY WITH THE TECHNICAL COMPETENCE WE HAVE ACHIEVED IN DRILLING'

Drawing attention to Turkey's previous natural gas discoveries totaling 540 billion cubic meters in the Black Sea, President Erdoğan said: 'We have ended our foreign dependency with the technical competence we have achieved in drilling. We have added exploration and drilling vessels to our fleet. We have made sure that these vessels are the best of their classes following their maintenance and upgrade in our shipyards. We will significantly decrease foreign dependency in terms of resources with the entry into service of the Black Sea gas soon.'

Noting that the two- and three-dimensional seismic explorations in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea have increased about sevenfold, President Erdoğan stated: 'They have tried to obstruct us through sanctions, threats, blackmails and intimidations but we have yielded to none of them. We have not backed down on our firm stance. If we had not expedited these activities of ours by national and domestic means of that time, we would have left the achievements, which we have made in recent years, to the mercy of others. The steps we have taken would have been hampered with unimaginable excuses. Thank Allah, these are all a matter of the past. The Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha and Oruç Reis seismic vessels are now screening the underneath of the seas while the the Fatih, Yavuz and Kanuni vessels are conducting the drilling. Today, we will be marking a critical milestone in terms of the level we have reached in the last one year in seismic research and drilling activities.'

'WE PLAY A KEY ROLE IN NATURAL GAS SUPPLY SECURITY OF OUR REGION'

Underscoring that Turkey plays a key role in the supply security of natural gas of its region, President Erdoğan said: 'We always have and always will assume a constructive position to introduce regional resources into international markets. Those who have taken the friendly hand offered by Turkey, politically and economically the strongest country in its region, have always won so far. We are a country and an administration that says exactly the same in public as we say behind closed doors on the basis of mutual respect for each other's rights. We do not talk differently at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of a path as some others do. We are aware of the contribution our own natural gas will provide to regional prosperity. Also, we know well that this project will play a part in Turkey's role as a pivotal country in energy. Our doors are wide open to those who would like to benefit from Turkey's experience, know-how and friendship.'