A Turkish drilling ship has discovered a natural gas reserve in the Black Sea, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters.

According to details, he said that the drilling ship Fatih, which has been operating in the area since July, had found 320bn cu m (11.3 tr cu ft) of gas.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that it was the biggest natural gas reserve Turkey has found.

Turkey will be capable of importing less energy if it can extract the gas commercially.

President Erdogan announced that all tests and engineering work had been finished.

He said: “This reserve is actually part of a much bigger source. God willing, much more will come.

“There will be no stopping until we become a net exporter in energy.”

President Erdogan said he hoped to start extracting the gas by 2023.

However, energy experts say that it could take up to a decade and billions of dollars to commercially use the gas.

A ship from Turkey has also been sent to conduct a drilling survey in the Eastern Mediterranean. The Oruc Reis left port on 10 August, accompanied by five naval vessels. It was reported the next day to be sailing in waters between Crete and Cyprus.

However, Greeks are not happy with this, as they disagree with Turkey over who holds the authority to certain areas of the Eastern Mediterranean.