More 'good news' coming for Turkey in two months, energy minister says

"It is highly probable that we will make new discoveries in the layers below the area of discovery. Their depth and length are similar. New good news may come in two months," Fatih Donmez told CNN Turk.

Donmez said that the production and use of natural gas from the Black Sea wells will begin in 2023.

He added that Turkey's Kanuni drilling vessel will remain in the Black Sea until the end of 2020, with 40 wells scheduled to be drilled.

"If potential is seen, two drill ships will not be enough," he said.

Donmez's words echoed that of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week, who said that he had he had "good news" for Turkey ahead of the announcement on Friday that 320 billion cubic metres of gas reserves had been found.

The discovery came amid heightened tensions with Greece and Cyprus over territorial rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey has been conducting exploration for oil and gas.

Ankara's actions have drawn in France, which has beefed up its military presence in the area.

Read also: Greece, Turkey draw in allies in Mediterranean war games

Donmez reiterated Ankara's stance that drilling and exploration activities will continue in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"The natural gas research was mainly conducted in the [Eastern] Mediterranean. There are points in the same field where oil and natural gas are produced. Our expectation looks like [discovering] gas, but this will become clear according to the drilling to be made," he said.

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