Gazprom top natural gas supplier of Turkey

ISTANBUL

Turkey imported more than half of its natural gas need from Russian energy giant Gazprom last year, and remains dependent on the company. CİHAN photo

Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom accounted for more than half of Turkey’s natural gas imports last year, providing 26.6 billion of 45 billion cubic meters of imported gas.

Russia’s largest company is the leading provider of natural gas to Turkey, which imported 16 percent of the company’s natural gas supplied to Europe.

Gazprom sold 162.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Europe last year, out of which 26.6 billion cubic meters, or 16 percent, was sold to Turkey.

Energy-hungry Turkey, which produced 47 billion cubic meters of natural gas on its own in 2013, relies on contracts with gas suppliers such as Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Algeria and Nigeria to feed its soaring need.
Gazprom signed a long-term deal last November to export gas to private companies in Turkey.

The Russian firm covers a quarter of Europe’s gas needs, with more than 150 bcm of exports a year.

European buyers have struggled to find alternatives to the Russian gas producer, whose contracts link prices to oil, generally making it expensive compared to the spot market.