Natural gas storages to meet demand in winter: Minister

ANKARA

Turkey’s natural gas consumption will reach nearly 60 billion cubic meters this year, Energy and Naturel Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez has said, adding that no supply problems have occurred thanks to long-term contracts and extra contracts.

Turkish household will face no shortage of natural gas as the ministry has filled the storages and updated pipeline import contracts, he told broadcaster CNN Türk late on Dec. 13.

“According to plans for this year, [natural gas] was estimated around 50 to 51 billion cubic meters. It increased around 10 billion cubic meters. We have made extra contracts to supply [gas] from the spot markets,” he said.

“Meanwhile, we added two LNG [liquefied natural gas] terminals to our portfolio and increased capacity of underground storage facilities,” he added.

Natural gas found at the Sakarya Gas Field in the Black Sea will be served to households in 2023, the minister also said, adding that production will reach the peak level from 2025.

The newly found reserve is expected to meet all of the country’s household natural gas demand for a couple of decades, according to his remarks.

In recent years, Turkey paid approximately $12 billion for around 45 billion cubic meters of imported natural gas annually.