Turkey has signed an agreement to import natural gas from Azerbaijan to meet the surging demand. Azerbaijan will supply 11 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas to Turkey over a period of three years, Reuters quoted Turkish energy minister Fatih Donmez as saying. The gas will be supplied via the Baku-Tiflis-Erzurum pipeline, which is also known as the South Caucasus Pipeline, until the end of 2024. Donmez was cited by the news agency as saying in a written statement: “As winter approaches, continuing talks on meeting the probable increase in natural gas demand are progressing positively. “Authorities in countries from which we procure gas have declared that they will increase the gas delivered to Turkey.”
The deal comes a day after Azerbaijan Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov agreed to supply gas from its Shah Deniz I offshore field to Turkey. The gas supplies from Shah Deniz I field was halted in Turkey in April 2021 following the expiry of the contract. Turkey majorly imports gas via pipeline from Russia, Iran, and Azerbaijan. It also imports LNG from Algeria, Nigeria, and spot markets.