Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has said that his country plans to resume natural gas imports from Turkmenistan in 2026.
“The year 2026 will be important in terms of starting Turkmen gas supplies and increasing their levels,” the minister said in an interview with TRT Haber.
He added that this was the year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for Türkiye, as long-term contracts for LNG supplies to the country were signed, in particular with the United States.
“These are long-term contracts covering the period from 2027 to the 2030s and 2040s. In a similar manner, the conclusion of LNG contracts will continue in 2026 as well. Thus, when we find suitable resources, cheap LNG, we conclude relevant agreements,” Bayraktar said.
“We are focused on exploration and finding our own gas, as well as increasing our own production, as for example at the Sakarya field. Our own gas production will increase significantly this year. Besides this, we are also trying to import gas from abroad from the most suitable sources, in the cheapest way, and in a manner that ensures the most reliable supply. Therefore, Azerbaijan is an important country from which we have been supplying gas for many years,” he said.
Türkiye receives significant amounts of gas from Azerbaijan through the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline and the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP). On January 2, Azerbaijan and Türkiye concluded a 15-year agreement for the supply of 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas from the Absheron field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. Under the agreement, the annual supply level will be 2.25 bcm. Its implementation will begin in 2029 and continue until the 2030s and 2040s. The gas will be supplied via the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline.
In October 2025, Turkmenistan’s state-run energy company, Turkmengaz, suspended natural gas supplies to Türkiye. The company’s chairman, Maksat Babayev, noted that the contract signed with Türkiye was a “short-term” one and added, “if we cannot agree on the volume or price, we have other buyers as well”.
In February 2025, Turkmenistan reached an agreement with the Turkish company Botaş to transit Turkmen natural gas to Türkiye through Iran via a swap arrangement. Under the deal, Iran would use a portion of Turkmen gas in its northeastern regions and free up an equivalent amount for export to Türkiye.
The contract between the two countries provided for the export of 2 bcm of Turkmen gas to Türkiye per year. The project was designed as a pilot initiative to assess technical and logistical challenges. Ankara began importing Turkmen gas through Iran in March 2025, with a total of 1.3 bcm expected to be delivered by the end of the year. The ultimate goal was to import 15 bcm of Turkmen gas annually for two decades.
Türkiye’s energy strategy has recently intensified its focus on Turkmenistan, which holds some of the world’s largest natural gas reserves. Energy cooperation with Turkmenistan is a key priority for Ankara, as it views Turkmen gas as essential for diversifying its energy supply. The move is also intended to strengthen Türkiye’s influence in Europe, aligning with the continent’s goal of reducing reliance on Russian resources.
Several potential routes for transporting Turkmen gas to Türkiye or Europe are under consideration. One option is that Turkmen gas could be transferred to Türkiye via Iran. Another option is that it arrives in Türkiye by exchange through Iran and Azerbaijan. An alternative option is an underwater pipeline across the Caspian Sea linking Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, which would carry the gas onward to Georgia and northeastern Türkiye.
