Turkey energy minister
Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez. Source: Andalou Agency
Work is underway to expand the energy exchange market in Turkey in order to bring in more players from across Europe said Fatih Donmez, Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister.
Mr Donmez told reporters in Ankara that gas pipeline projects, such as TurkStream and the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) would ensure enough gas supply security and diversity to fulfil Turkey's needs and play a big part in covering the needs of Europe.
"Thanks to the new pipelines, Turkey has become the region's energy trade hub. Works are ongoing not only to increase the number of pipelines, but also to expand the energy exchange market," he said.
TANAP carries gas from Azerbaijan to Turkey and forms the longest section of the Southern Gas Corridor which is set to connect to Europe via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). 10 billion cubic metres of Azerbaijani gas will be transported through TAP every year to southeast Europe. Construction of TAP is scheduled for completion by 2020.
TurkStream will carry Russian gas to Turkey and on to Europe and will have a capacity of 31.5 billion cubic metres. The first line, carrying half of that total, will carry gas to Turkey, the second will carry via Turkey on to Europe. The first line, which comprises a 69 km (43 mile) long land section, is set for completion by the end of 2019 with the gas expected to begin flowing not long after.
Mr Donmez said that Turkey's existing partnerships with international oil and gas companies exploring in the Black and Mediterranean Seas would continue and that his country is open to new cooperation too, especially in oilfield services.
It was announced in October 2018 that US energy company Schlumberger had been awarded a €13.35-million Integrated Services Management contract by Turkish Petroleum to provide project management services to the company's drillship, Fatih, which would drill the deepwater Alanya-1 well in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey began deep sea drilling offshore of Antalya last year with the aim of performing four drillings per year. There are also ongoing seismic explorations in Black Sea.
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