On 19 March, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar met in Ashgabat with Batyr Amanov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan responsible for oil and natural gas, and Maksat Babayev, Chairman of the Turkmengaz State Concern, to discuss the implementation of joint energy projects between the two countries.
“During our meeting, we appreciated the agreement that we signed last month, which allowed the delivery of Turkmen gas to our country from 1 March. We reached a consensus on increasing the volume of the current agreement and extending its term,” Bayraktar wrote in the social network X.
According to Bayraktar, the parties discussed the prospects for the participation of the Turkish Petroleum Corporation TPAO in the exploration of hydrocarbons in Turkmenistan.
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During the “International Year of Peace and Trust: Regional Economic Cooperation for Sustainable Development” International Conference in Ashgabat, Alparslan Bayraktar announced Türkiye’s intention to set partnerships with Turkmenistan for oil and natural gas field development.
Bayraktar emphasized that establishing long-term partnerships built on mutual trust is essential to address energy sector challenges. He explained that Türkiye’s energy strategy focuses on two key priorities: energy security and independence.
“Türkiye’s energy consumption has tripled over the past two decades and is projected to grow approximately 5% annually for the next 20 years,” Bayraktar said. He added that before discovering the Sakarya Gas Field, Türkiye completely depended on imports for natural gas, while 90% of its oil requirements still come from foreign sources.
A significant milestone was reached on March 1 when Türkiye began importing Turkmenistan’s natural gas — marking the first time Türkiye has sourced gas via pipeline from a non-neighboring country. This development benefits both nations by diversifying Türkiye’s energy supply and creating a pathway for Turkmenistan’s gas to reach Western markets and Europe.
Bayraktar expressed optimism about the planned Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline, which would increase gas flow from Turkmenistan to Türkiye and European markets. He identified substantial opportunities in the upstream sector that could strengthen bilateral cooperation in developing Turkmenistan’s oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea region.
Beyond gas collaboration, Bayraktar highlighted Türkiye’s efforts to expand electricity trade with neighboring countries, including Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Syria. He mentioned that Türkiye is currently supplying electricity to Syria to support reconstruction efforts.
The minister also suggested that the Trans-Caspian Electricity Line project could eventually connect Turkmenistan’s electricity to consumer markets, enhancing regional energy integration. ///nCa, 20 March 2025