By Riffat Kausar
SNN News Finland
Türkiye’s first floating production platform, Osman Gazi, has departed for its designated site in the Black Sea, where it will remain in operation for the next 20 years. The platform left Filyos Port in Zonguldak on Saturday for the Sakarya gas field, about 170 kilometres offshore.
What the platform will do
Osman Gazi will process natural gas at sea before delivering it into Türkiye’s national grid. According to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the platform will double domestic production at Sakarya, lifting output from about 9.5 million cubic metres a day to 20 million cubic metres a day.
At the higher rate, the field would produce roughly 7.3 billion cubic metres of gas a year and cover the annual gas needs of about eight million households, up from four million today. The platform is expected to begin production in early 2027 as part of the second phase of development at the field, which is operated by the state oil company TPAO.
The scale of the vessel
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the platform measures 298.5 metres in length, 56 metres in width and 29.5 metres in depth, and will accommodate 140 personnel. He described it as a floating fortress of energy.
Osman Gazi works around the clock and is designed for continuous operation. Estimates put the value of the additional gas it unlocks at roughly 10 million dollars a day, or about 3.5 billion dollars a year, at current prices.
Why Türkiye is pushing offshore
Türkiye depends heavily on imported gas and has spent the past decade building up a domestic exploration and production capability to reduce that dependence. The Sakarya discovery in 2020 was the centrepiece of that effort, and the country has since assembled a fleet of drillships alongside the production platform now heading to sea.
The project matters beyond Türkiye’s own energy bill. Additional Black Sea supply changes the region’s import calculations and strengthens Ankara’s position in long-term gas negotiations, including its role as a transit route for supplies moving further west.
Key facts
- Osman Gazi is Türkiye’s first floating production platform, and departed Filyos Port in Zonguldak on 17 October 2026.
- It will operate at the Sakarya gas field, about 170 kilometres offshore in the Black Sea.
- Production is expected to rise from 9.5 to 20 million cubic metres a day, enough for about eight million households.
- The platform is 298.5 metres long with a crew of 140 and is designed to run for 20 years.
- Production is expected to begin in early 2027 under the field’s second development phase, operated by TPAO.
FAQs
Where is the Osman Gazi platform going?
To the Sakarya gas field about 170 kilometres offshore in the Black Sea, after leaving Filyos Port in Zonguldak.
How much extra gas will Türkiye get?
Official estimates put the increase at about 10.5 million cubic metres a day, taking the field from 9.5 to 20 million cubic metres a day.
When will it start producing?
The ministry expects production in early 2027, during the second phase of Sakarya’s development.
How long will it operate?
The platform is designed to remain in service for 20 years.
Who operates the field?
Turkish Petroleum Corporation, the state oil and gas company known as TPAO.
What is not confirmed
SNN Finland has not independently verified the production figures, the cost estimates or the timeline, which come from the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, TPAO and the presidency.
Output expectations for Sakarya have been revised since the first phase came online, and reaching 20 million cubic metres a day depends on well performance and on the platform’s commissioning going to plan.
Related SNN Finland reporting: Türkiye and Azerbaijan push the Middle Corridor rail link, and G7 nations tap reserves as 100m barrels are released.
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