Page 7 - MEOG Week 30 2022

MEOG PIPELINES & TRANSPORT MEOG

Turkey confident of

extending gas deals

TURKEY TURKEY intends to extend its natural gas pur- by pointing the rising availability of liquefied nat-
chase agreements with key suppliers Russia, ural gas (LNG) deliveries. It has also pushed for
Azerbaijan and Iran, Fatih Donmez, the coun- more competitive pricing and flexibility in deal
try’s energy and natural resources minister, told renewals, but booming gas prices have under-
Haber Global on July 26. mined that strategy.
Problems with gas supplies were unlikely to Turkey imports gas from Iran under an agree-
afflict Turkey this winter as the country would ment signed in 1996 for up to 10bn cubic metres
contractually secure its interests in the runup to (bcm)/year until July 2026. It commenced in
winter, he said. The comments come as countries 2001 and was later reduced to 9.6 bcm/year.
across Europe are set to ration gas as they fear Turkish state broadcaster TRT Haber on July
Russia will not provide enough for their winter 25 reported Turkish President Recep Tayyip
reserves in a tactical attempt at exerting pressure Erdogan, who a week ago met with his Iranian
on the EU for its opposition to its war in Ukraine. counterpart Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran, as saying
“Our main suppliers are Russia, Azerbaijan Turkey has every intention of importing more
and Iran,” Donmez continued. “We intend to Iranian oil and gas.
extend contracts with them for a new period. We Raisi, meanwhile, said after his meeting
strive to meet our energy needs.” with Erdogan that Tehran and Ankara believed
In recent years, Turkey has attempted to gain they could boost their annual bilateral trade to
more leverage in its negotiations for pipeline gas around $30bn.™

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