Türkiye has maintained energy supply security and is not experiencing any issues with natural gas and oil supply despite rising tensions in the Middle East, a top official reiterated on Wednesday.
The rising tensions triggered by attacks involving the U.S., Israel and Iran, along with retaliatory actions, have led to a major crisis affecting global energy markets, as well as broader economic and geopolitical dynamics, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said during a television interview.
Bayraktar noted that Türkiye sourced about 10% of its oil from Iraq and Saudi Arabia last year, but that it does not rely critically on the Strait of Hormuz for energy supplies.
Pointing out that in this region, Qatar in particular stands out as a major liquified natural gas (LNG) supplier, the minister went on to say that its state-run company BOTAŞ and Türkiye procure LNG from 12 countries and receive natural gas via pipelines from four others.
"Therefore, we have not experienced any supply security problems in terms of natural gas and crude oil in our country to date," he added.
Moreover, he also emphasized Türkiye's decade-long diversification strategy, domestic and international exploration, and investments in pipelines, infrastructure, and storage.
"Our goal is a self-sufficient energy market that reduces external dependency and ensures supply security," Bayraktar said.
He added that the developments in the Middle East are likely to impact economies globally, stressing the importance of a swift resolution to the crisis. "This process ending quickly is crucial for Türkiye and for the entire world," he said.
Regarding the resumption of oil flows from Iraq, he said: "Oil flows from Iraq to Türkiye have now begun. The current daily flow is estimated to be between 170,000 and 250,000 barrels.
"However, the pipeline has a total capacity of 1.5 million barrels per day," he added.
Bayraktar also noted that Türkiye's offshore exploration activities in Somalia will gain momentum with the deployment of the deep-sea drilling vessel Çağrı Bey.
"The vessel is currently en route to Somalia and is expected to arrive in early April. We aim to begin exploration by mid-April. Based on data collected over the past six to seven months, there is a possibility of reserves in one of our three blocks, which we believe could be oil," he said.
He added that exploration activities are also ongoing domestically, with six drilling targets identified across the western, central and eastern Black Sea regions. "New drilling operations will begin next week," he added.
At the same time, he also evaluated the nuclear and renewable energy ambitions.
Bayraktar said that Ankara wants to build four nuclear reactors in the northern province of Sinop and four more in the Thrace region, and is in talks with South Korea, Canada, China and Russia.
The country's first nuclear plant is being built by Russia's Rosatom in the southern Mersin province.
Türkiye had not signed any agreements and would choose the project offering the most competitive terms and the greatest contribution to localization, Bayraktar said on Wednesday.
His remarks came amid recent contacts with Canadian and South Korean officials, where he highlighted the potential to broaden energy cooperation.
