Main Determinants of Turkey’s Foreign Oil and Natural Gas Strategy

Abstract

This paper has the goal of contributing to the academic literature on Turkey’s energy strategy in two ways. Firstly, through explaining the role of and interaction between the most important determinants of Turkey’s foreign oil and natural gas strategy, the paper aims at contributing to further understanding of the strategy. Secondly, while a number of academic studies have analyzed Ankara’s energy policy, they have remained mostly policy-based. Thus, by describing the key determinative elements of Ankara’s external oil and natural gas strategy in the framework of Realism and Liberalism, the paper also aims to fill in this important gap in the academic literature. As shown in this article, both theories are rather helpful in explaining the principal determinants of Turkey’s foreign oil and natural gas strategy. The paper argues that the most crucial determinative elements of the strategy, in terms of the order of their importance, are the concerns of the country over its energy security, its goal of becoming an energy hub, several regional developments, the economic and business partnerships between Turkey and its energy allies, and foreign ambitions of Turkish energy firms. 

Keywords

• Energy Security,(Inter)Dependence,Energy Collaboration,National Interests,Energy Hub

Türkiye’nin Dış Petrol ve Doğal Gaz Stratejisinin Temel Belirleyici Faktörleri

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Türkiye’nin enerji stratejisi konusunda yapılan akademik literatüre iki şekilde katkı sunmayı amaçlamaktadır. İlk olarak, bahsi gecen çalışma, Türkiye’nin dış petrol ve doğal gaz stratejisinin en temel belirleyici faktörlerini ve bu faktörler arasındaki etkileşimi anlatarak, söz konusu stratejinin daha çok anlaşılmasına katkıda bulunmayı hedeflemektedir. İkinci olarak, Ankara’nın enerji politikasını analiz eden birçok akademik çalışma olmakla beraber, bahsi geçen çalışmalar çoğunlukla politika bazlı kalmıştır. Bu nedenle, bu çalışma Ankara’nın dış petrol ve doğal gaz stratejisini Realizm ve Liberalizm çerçevesinde tarif ederek, akademik literatüre katkı sunmayı hedeflemektedir. Bu çalışmada da gösterildiği gibi, söz konusu iki teori Türkiye’nin dış petrol ve gaz stratejisinin en önemli belirleyici faktörlerini anlatmakta oldukça faydalıdır. Sonuç olarak, bu çalışma, bahsi geçen stratejinin en önemli belirleyici faktörlerinin, önem sırasına göre, Türkiye’nin enerji güvenliği konusundaki kaygıları, ülkenin enerji merkezi olma hedefi, bölgedeki bazı gelişmeler, Türkiye ile enerji ortakları arasındaki ekonomik ortaklık ve Türk enerji firmalarının diğer ülkelerdeki hedefleri olduğunu ileri sürmektedir.

Keywords

• Enerji Güvenliği,(Karşılıklı) Bağımlılık,Enerji İşbirliği,Ulusal Çıkarlar,Enerji Merkezi

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