12.09.26
Minister Bayraktar evaluated energy cooperation between Türkiye and Azerbaijan. Noting that the world has become a world of crises and that crises have now become the “new normal,” Bayraktar said that under such circumstances, Türkiye and Azerbaijan are developing more predictable, diversified and intensive cooperation in the energy sector.
Recalling projects such as the Baku–Tbilisi–Erzurum Natural Gas Pipeline, TANAP and TAP, Bayraktar said, “As of this year, 100 billion cubic meters of natural gas have flowed through TANAP. This pipeline makes a very significant contribution to Europe’s security of energy supply.”
Bayraktar noted that Türkiye and Azerbaijan have complementary characteristics, saying that Azerbaijan is an important producer of oil and natural gas and is now moving toward becoming an electricity producer as well.
Emphasizing that Türkiye is a growing market with increasing energy needs, Bayraktar said, “Türkiye is also a country with many connections to Europe, which is an important consumer. Therefore, it has the capacity and capability to export the energy available here to Europe.”
Explaining that these characteristics make Türkiye and Azerbaijan two complementary countries, Bayraktar said that the common vision put forward by the presidents of the two countries has also paved the way for the development of projects in line with this vision.
Full utilization of existing energy project capacities targeted
Bayraktar emphasized that, as a priority, the capacities of existing projects such as Baku–Tbilisi–Erzurum, Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan and TANAP should be fully utilized. He noted that 600,000 barrels of oil are currently transported through the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline, while its capacity is 1 million barrels.
Pointing out that crude oil from other sources in Central Asia and the Turkic world should also be transported through this pipeline, Bayraktar said similar efforts could be carried out for natural gas as well.
Bayraktar stated that they have very large projects ahead in the electricity sector and said, “We are discussing three main projects. These are bringing an electricity transmission line to Türkiye through Nakhchivan, the Türkiye–Georgia–Azerbaijan–Bulgaria four-country green energy corridor, and an electricity transmission line that will reach Europe under the Black Sea.”
Joint energy and mining projects with Turkic states
Referring to the fact that, as in the case of Türkiye and Azerbaijan, the other Turkic states also form a complementary whole, Bayraktar said that Turkmenistan has significant natural gas resources, while Kazakhstan has substantial oil production capacity.
Noting that these countries also possess significant mineral resources and mining production, Bayraktar said Kazakhstan is one of the world’s major uranium suppliers.
Bayraktar said, “Therefore, we have a structure consisting of major producer countries in both energy and mining, as well as a country like Türkiye, which has a strong industrial base, needs mineral raw materials, and has growing electricity and energy demand, while also having opportunities to access different markets through Türkiye. We will realize this synergy through joint efforts and implement larger projects together.”
