Doability Of Trans-Caspian Pipeline And Deliverability Of Turkmen Gas To Turkey & Eu

Year 2016, Issue: 1, 66 - 75, 30.01.2016

Oğuzhan Akyener

Abstract

Due to increasing demand, gas
supply is one of the most strategic energy security issues for huge importers.
By taking that into consideration, Caspian region, where important gas supply
potentials exist is related directly with the huge importers' energy security
issues, which are mainly EU, China, India and Turkey.

As an important gas supplier
country located in the Caspian Region, Turkmenistan and her future gas supplies
are becoming more important for the importers. As a result, each importer is
preparing long term plans and developing new projects to import the gas
resources from Turkmenistan.

One of the most popular projects
that are related to Turkmen gas resources is the Trans Caspian gas pipeline,
which is planned to transport Turkmen gas through Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan,
and then with other available pipelines to Turkey and Europe. Naturally, this
pipeline is an important energy security issue for Turkey, Azerbaijan and EU.
However, there are important political, technical and economic challenges to
overcome.

In this study, after a short
outlook into the gas politics in the Caspian Region (mainly Turkmenistan
related issues); importance of Trans Caspian gas pipeline project will be
described. Then, doability of this popular project will be evaluated from the
technical, political, and economic perspectives. Additionally, Iran's claim to
transport Turkmen gas through Iran to Turkey instead of Trans Caspian project
will be compared economically.

Keywords

Trans-Caspian Pipeline, Turkmen Gas

References

• 1. BP Statistical Review, “World Energy”, 2013. 2. Wikipedia.