Russia's Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin stated that Turkey should be a central country in energy.

Russia's Deputy Minister of Energy Pavel Sorokin emphasized the importance of Turkey becoming a central country in energy, stating, "We needed this. It is very beneficial and has mutual benefits." He made these remarks during the BOTAŞ Special Session titled "New Dynamics of Gas Security: Regional Perspectives" at the Istanbul Energy Forum organized by Anadolu Agency (AA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, which was held under the theme "Common Future, Common Goals."

CRITICISM OF POLITICIZATION FROM RUSSIA TO THE WEST

Noting that Western countries are heading in different directions in the natural gas market, Sorokin expressed that these dynamics have become "politicized." He pointed out that energy costs are increasing, stating that this is not good in terms of transformation. Highlighting the importance of a reasonable approach in energy, Sorokin said, "What is needed is not just a slogan. We are not saying, 'Let’s go green at any cost.' It should be reasonable. Natural gas is an important resource for a fair transition. It should not just be words, slogans, and theoretical goals. We need to reduce carbon emissions. For example, a renewable mix is an important solution. The combined use of cheaper green energy and gas can be good in terms of emissions."

Sorokin shared the view that "LNG trade volume is increasing by 4-7% every year. We will continue to work to present LNG in a competitive environment." He emphasized the importance of Turkey being a central country and intersection point in energy, stating, "We needed this. It has mutual benefits."

"COLLECTIVE EFFORT IS NEEDED FOR ENERGY SECURITY"

Ahmet Berat Çonkar, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, who moderated the session, stated that BOTAŞ plays a significant role in the development of gas infrastructure and the modernization of energy resources.

Çonkar emphasized the importance of reliable and sustainable energy supply in today's world, where many crises are occurring, and expressed that collective effort is needed for energy security.

Stating that natural gas and oil will continue to be part of the energy sector in the coming years, Çonkar said, "We need a good transition. In terms of natural gas market, we are the 4th in Europe. We were importing all of our natural gas, but we discovered natural gas in the Black Sea in 2020 and started production in this area."

"OVER 1 TRILLION CUBIC METERS OF GAS TRANSPORTED WITH A PIPELINE REACHING 20,000 KILOMETERS"

BOTAŞ General Manager and Chairman of the Board Abdulvahit Fidan pointed out that BOTAŞ is one of the strongest companies in the region with a wide range of activities, noting that they have played an active role in transporting 14.5 billion barrels of oil with a pipeline length of 3,500 kilometers.

Fidan stated that over 1 trillion cubic meters of gas have been transported so far with pipelines reaching 20,000 kilometers in natural gas, highlighting the importance of the gas produced in the Black Sea.

Fidan noted that gas is being delivered to citizens from a field that currently produces 7 million cubic meters of gas daily.

Fidan also pointed out that efforts are ongoing to increase Turkey's natural gas storage capacity, continuing: "BOTAŞ plays a key role in the security of supply for both our country and Europe with the international pipeline projects it is a stakeholder in. So far, 29 billion cubic meters of gas have reached Turkey and 38 billion cubic meters have reached Europe through TANAP in the Southern Gas Corridor. The close cooperation in the energy field between Turkey and Azerbaijan has been solidified with the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline and TANAP and has continued with a project that will open the essence of gas supply to Nakhchivan. Additionally, through the TurkStream pipeline, 40 billion cubic meters of gas have been supplied to our country and 53 billion cubic meters to Europe so far."

Fidan added that efforts and collaborations are ongoing for the energy supply security of the country and the region.