Türkiye and Turkmenistan have reached an agreement to facilitate the flow of natural gas from Turkmenistan, marking a major step in strengthening bilateral energy cooperation. The deal, announced on February 11, will see Turkmen natural gas begin flowing to Türkiye starting March 1, 2025.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar highlighted the historic nature of the deal, which was finalized between Türkiye's state-owned pipeline operator BOTAŞ and Turkmenistan's state gas company, Turkmengaz. In a statement on social media, Bayraktar emphasized the progress made in the natural gas sector and the strategic importance of the agreement for both nations.
“This agreement, which we have been working on for many years, will significantly enhance the strategic cooperation between Türkiye and Turkmenistan, while strengthening the natural gas supply security for our country and the broader region,” Bayraktar said.
Under the terms of the agreement, the natural gas will be transported via Iran’s existing pipeline infrastructure. While specific gas volumes and transit terms through Iran were not disclosed, the initial phase of the supply is expected to involve up to 2bn cubic meters (bcm) of gas annually.
The deal follows a memorandum of understanding signed in March 2024, which laid the foundation for deeper collaboration on hydrocarbon resources. It was during that agreement's signing that Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan confirmed their commitment to energy partnership.
Türkiye, which consumes more than 50 bcm of gas annually, relies on a mix of supplies from Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran, in addition to liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.
There are also ongoing discussions about constructing a gas pipeline across the Caspian Sea from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, which could later provide an additional route for Turkmen gas to reach Türkiye, potentially allowing up to 15 bcm of gas to be transited annually.
Beyond natural gas, Turkmenistan is also exploring expanding its electricity exports to Iran through a new transmission line connecting its Mary hydropower station to Mashhad, a city in northeastern Iran. This project is expected to involve Iranian companies in its development.
Turkmenistan, which has increasingly focused on diversifying its energy export markets, continues to strengthen its ties with neighboring countries, with new agreements in place for supplying gas to Iraq as well.
Turkmenistan, holding the fourth-largest natural gas reserves globally, has the potential to reshape the EU-Russia gas dynamic. As the EU seeks to reduce its reliance on Russia for natural gas, Turkmenistan emerges as an alternative supplier.
Russia aims to increase its gas exports to Turkey but has faced challenges in establishing a gas hub there to replace the lost European market after the Ukraine invasion. Recently, President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia could supply up to 55bn cubic meters of gas annually to Iran. Earlier, Russia also opposed the construction of a new Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan pipeline via the Caspian Sea.
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