Turkey is seeking to negotiate an extension of its five-year natural gas swap agreement with Turkmenistan, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced on Tuesday in an interview with the local daily Hürriyet.
Two weeks ago, Bayraktar revealed that Turkish state company BOTAS and Turkmenistan’s Turkmengaz had signed an agreement to supply natural gas from Turkmenistan to Turkey. Gas shipments are set to begin on March 1, 2025, according to Bayraktar’s post on X.
“This agreement, which has been in the works for years, will enhance Turkey’s energy security while also strengthening our strategic ties with Turkmenistan,” Bayraktar explained.
Currently, Turkey imports natural gas from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran, with Russia providing more than half of the total supply. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan, rich in natural gas, has been exploring ways to export its gas to Europe, especially after the decline in Russian gas exports to the EU due to the Ukraine conflict.
Turkmenistan has been negotiating gas exports through swap deals, focusing on supplying electricity to Afghanistan.
Bayraktar also discussed Turkey’s long-term energy goals, stating, “We aim to extend the five-year swap agreement this year. We are already working on a plan to achieve this.”
As part of the agreement, Turkmenistan’s gas will be delivered through Iran, with 1.3 billion cubic meters expected to be supplied this year.
“Our ultimate goal is to bring Turkmen gas to Turkey via a Caspian-transit pipeline, as originally planned,” Bayraktar added.
In addition to imports, Turkey is increasing its domestic gas production from Black Sea reserves, where significant gas fields have been discovered in recent years.
“By the third quarter of 2026, daily gas production will double to 20 million cubic meters. This will allow us to supply 7.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually, covering 15 percent of our domestic needs,” Bayraktar said.
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