Türkiye’s first floating production unit (FPU), Osman Gazi, has officially departed for the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea, marking a key milestone in the country’s domestic energy strategy.
The send-off ceremony took place in Istanbul and was attended by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar and Communications Director Fahrettin Altun. The event featured a performance by a traditional Ottoman mehter band to commemorate the occasion.
Coinciding with the anniversary of the Conquest of Istanbul, Osman Gazi began its transit through the Istanbul Strait, a voyage expected to last approximately 11 hours. The unit is scheduled to arrive at Filyos Port on June 1.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan joined the ceremony remotely by speaking with the vessel’s captain via phone and later continued the conversation over radio after boarding a nearby boat to observe the platform.
“Safe travels. We’re expecting plenty of gas from Sakarya,” Erdoğan stated.
The Osman Gazi platform is expected to increase natural gas output from the Sakarya field significantly. As Türkiye continues to invest in domestic energy resources, this development is seen as a major step toward improving energy independence and supply security.
