Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez said Ankara should focus on producing its own natural gas, the Russian newspaper Expert reported. According to him, this will reduce the impact of fluctuations in world energy prices. At the same time, he noted that the natural gas in the Black Sea is of high quality.
"If we had oil, natural gas and coal, we would not be facing speculative and irrational prices now," Donmez told reporters in Istanbul.
The minister noted that global energy investment had slowed during the pandemic, and when there was a rapid recovery, there was a shortage of supplies, adding that natural gas reserves at the Sakarya gas field in the Black Sea were 540 billion cubic meters.
"We want to link this (gas production) to our (energy) system in the first quarter of 2023," Donmez said. "In the first year, about 3-4 billion cubic meters (gas) will be produced. We will reach the maximum level of 15-20 billion cubic meters in 2026. This will cover the natural gas needs of all residential buildings in Turkey for about 25 years. As it receives its own gas, the share of expensive gas (in Turkey's energy balance) will decrease.
Donmez also clarified that Black Sea natural gas is the so-called "sweet" gas and the process of separating it will probably not be expensive.
Turkey's total electricity bill is expected to reach $ 55 billion this year, compared to a 10-year average of $ 45 billion. "I don't think (the bill) will fall next year," the minister said, noting the sharp rise in natural gas prices, especially in Europe.
In recent years, Turkey has imported about 45 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year, costing the country about $ 12 billion. Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran are supplying gas to Turkey via pipelines. At the same time, Qatar, Nigeria, Algeria and the United States meet almost a third of the country's gas needs through liquefied natural gas supplies.
Turkey's total natural gas consumption is expected to reach 60 billion cubic meters this year.
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