Survey ship Oruc Reis (middle) is escorted by Turkish Navy ships in the Mediterranean Sea on August 10. Photo: VCG

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that a vast natural gas field discovered in the Black Sea was even bigger than first estimated.

In August, Turkey said it had found gas reserves of 320 billion cubic meters, a discovery that could help wean it off imported energy.

But on Saturday Erdogan, who was on board a drilling ship in the Black Sea, said the field was now 405 billion cubic meters, and that gas from the site could start being pumped into people's homes in 2023.

The Fatih drill vessel made the discovery in the Tuna-1 field off the coast of the town of Eregli after beginning the search in July.

Turkey hopes the discovery can help ease its dependence on energy supplies from other countries, notably Russia, which comes at a high cost at a time when the local currency is weakening and the economy is more fragile because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Analysts have urged caution over the discovery's significance, pointing out that deep sea drilling is expensive and takes time.

Turkey consumes between 45 billion and 50 billion cubic meters of natural gas each year, representing about 11 billion euros ($12.9 billion).

Ankara has said that the Black Sea find will not however deter it from exploring in the eastern Mediterranean, despite accusations from neighboring Greece that its longtime rival is violating maritime borders.

Turkey this week resumed exploration in disputed areas of the Mediterranean, defying calls from fellow NATO members including the US to withdraw.

Erdogan said Saturday that Turkey was "determined to defend its interests" in the Mediterranean but did not want to "encroach on the rights of others."

AFP