12.01.2026 15:32
A critical development that will change the energy map of the Eastern Black Sea has been officially confirmed. Prof. Dr. Nafiz Maden, Head of the Department of Geophysics at Gümüşhane University, shared the laboratory analyses of samples taken from a long-known leak off the coast of Rize-Çayeli. Prof. Dr. Maden announced that the tests definitively proved the presence of "natural crude oil," stating, "Sending a drilling ship to the waters off Rize has now become a scientific necessity."
It was stated that the analyses of samples taken from the oil spill in the sea off the coast of Çayeli district in Rize yielded positive results.
"PROVIDING STRONG EVIDENCE FOR THE REGION'S POTENTIAL"
Prof. Dr. Nafiz Maden, Head of the Department of Geophysics at Gümüşhane University, announced that the analyses of samples from the long-known oil spill off the coast of Rize-Çayeli have definitively confirmed the findings of "natural crude oil." Prof. Dr. Maden emphasized that the results obtained provide strong evidence for the region's oil potential, stating, "Sending a drilling ship to the waters off Rize has now become a scientific necessity."
Prof. Dr. Nafiz Maden also noted that the addition of the "Çağrı Bey" and "Yıldırım" drilling ships to Turkey's inventory is an important step in terms of energy security, highlighting that in their academic study published in 2025, Turkey has now risen to the status of a 'central country' rather than a 'bridge country' in terms of foreign policy, effectiveness, and energy security in its region.
"THE SPILL IS ORIGINATING FROM NATURAL SOURCES OF CRUDE OIL"
Prof. Dr. Nafiz Maden, who announced that the results from the samples taken from the oil spills off the coast of Rize-Çayeli are positive, stated, "We also have studies related to the Black Sea. We took two samples from the oil spill known since the Ottoman period off the coast of Rize-Çayeli. One of them was sent to TPAO and yielded positive results. We also analyzed the other sample in our university's laboratories; the results confirmed TPAO's analyses. This indicates that the spill comes from a naturally sourced crude oil. While a spill point was previously detected in satellite images, we identified spills from two different points in the latest studies. This finding also aligns with our geophysical data. Our Minister of Energy's statement on December 31, 2025, that 'Drilling and exploration activities will be conducted in the Eastern and Central Black Sea in the coming months' has given us hope. Both my expectation and that of my fellow citizens from Rize is to send a drilling ship to the waters off Rize. We invite our Minister of Energy and the General Manager of TPAO to Rize-Çayeli. Although the name of the Black Sea is land, its fate is bright. Just as we discovered natural gas in the Western Black Sea, I believe we will find oil reserves in the Eastern Black Sea, especially in the region between Trabzon and Hopa," he said.
4 OF OUR PROVINCES HAVE OIL POTENTIAL
Providing information about other academically conducted studies, Prof. Dr. Nafiz Maden stated, "Another study of ours is on the oil potential of the Bayburt, Gümüşhane, Erzurum, and Erzincan regions. Since 1933, there has been a detected oil spill in the village of Ortaçimağıl in Bayburt. Cevat Eyüp Taşman and his colleagues prepared the first reports at that time. We continued these studies and identified new spill areas with the accounts of local citizens. We detected oil spills in the villages of Saruhan, Ortaçimağıl, Kurbanpınarı, and Uluçayır in Bayburt. We sent the samples we collected to TPAO and received positive results. Additionally, we found oil spills in two different sites in Gümüşhane; we plan to conduct more detailed examinations in these areas during the spring months. As a result, Turkey's energy exploration activities conducted at sea and on land have yielded very positive results. The new drilling ships we have received significantly contribute to our country's energy security in the region. In the Eastern Mediterranean, there is a block formed by the Greek Cypriot Administration, Greece, and Israel opposing Turkey. Turkey maintains its strong stance here. Protecting the rights of the Turkish Cypriots is important to us. We continue to reap the fruits of our efforts from Africa to the Caspian Sea, and from the Balkans to the Black Sea. We are ready to fulfill every duty that falls upon us during this process," he said.