Private sector to import gas in Turkey

The Department of Energy and the Energy Market Regulatory Authority in Turkey (EPDK) have prepared a bill under which the private sector of the country will be able to import natural gas to Turkey, the EPDK told Trend on Monday.

"This law is aimed at reducing the prices on the domestic Turkish market through diversification of gas supplies to the country," the organization reported.

In accordance with the law the private sector of Turkey will receive a license to import gas from countries with which Turkey already has gas agreements, and from countries with which cooperation in this field has not yet been established.

At the same time the organization found it difficult to give an exact date of the bill, noting that it is under the consideration of the Ministry of Energy.

Private companies, which will be engaged in the import of gas, will be required to keep ten percent of the imported natural gas at the storage facilities in Turkey particularly in the gas storage facility TPAO (Turkish Petroleum Corporation) in Silivri.

According to statistical data of the Turkish state pipeline company Botas, Turkey imported 39.7 billion cubic meters of gas in 2011. Russia ranks first and followed by Iran and Azerbaijan among the exporters gas to Turkey.


/Trend/