Türkiye will receive 1.3 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas from Turkmenistan via a swap agreement with Iran from March until the end of the year, the Turkish energy and natural resources minister announced on Wednesday.
Natural gas from Turkmenistan will be sent to Iran and then transported to Türkiye’s Gürbulak entry point through the Iran-Türkiye Natural Gas Pipeline, Alparslan Bayraktar told Anadolu.
Bayraktar’s remarks followed his announcement on Tuesday regarding the Türkiye-Turkmenistan agreement to begin Turkmen gas supply on March 1.
Noting the agreement’s importance for diversifying Türkiye’s energy sources, reducing gas costs, and ensuring a more competitive and stable supply, Bayraktar said, “Turkmenistan is a significant gas supplier and producer. Bringing its resources to Türkiye and, more importantly, transporting them to Europe, where demand is rising, is of strategic importance.”
“Our infrastructure is ready, but a key challenge remains the legal status and transit of the Caspian Sea,” he explained.
“If we establish a pipeline crossing the Caspian Sea, we will have the opportunity to supply significantly larger volumes of gas, both for Türkiye and Europe. Ultimately, this is the key objective we are aiming to achieve,” Bayraktar added.
Noting that the deal is part of Türkiye’s strategy to diversify its gas supply by sourcing from different countries, Bayraktar said, “After more than 20 years, Türkiye will, for the first time, import pipeline gas from a country beyond its borders. This is a significant milestone for us.”
TÜRKİYE WORKING ON VARIOUS PROJECTS RELATED TO IMPORTS, EXPORTS
When asked about potential new deals with other countries, Bayraktar said Türkiye is currently working on various projects regarding both import and export.
“Europe, in particular, has significant expectations regarding gas supply,” he explained.
Bayraktar underlined continued efforts to expand the country’s gas exports and diversify its energy sources.
He said if a project creates value for Türkiye and cooperating countries, creating a win-win situation, “Türkiye will support it.”
“We will always back initiatives that contribute to regional peace, development, and prosperity,” he commented.