Turkey: Private Companies to Import Russian Gas via Western Route

Turkish Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK) has awarded licenses to import natural gas from Russia to Turkey via the Western route (with point of delivery being the Malkoçlar gas-measuring station on the Bulgarian-Turkish border) to independent Turkish importing companies Akfel Gaz, Bosphorus Gas and Kibar Enerji for the next 30 years. The company Bati Hatti received a similar license for a period of 23 years, Gazprom export said in a statement.

Under current Turkish law, any activity on the natural gas market, including the importing of gas, is subject to compulsory licensing. Turkish law stipulates that the import licenses may only be granted to firms with real contracts for the supply of natural gas.

In August 2012, Gazprom Export signed long-term contracts for the supply of up to 6 billion cubic meters a year of Russian natural gas to Turkey with companies Akfel Gaz, Bosphorus Gas, Kibar Enerji and Bati Hatti. These contracts replace in full the expired contract with the BOTAŞ company.

[mappress]

LNG World News Staff, December 5, 2012; Image: BOTAŞ