March LNG Beats Turkey's Pipeline Imports
Turkey imported more LNG than pipeline gas in March, the first month this has happened, as it took advantage of historically low spot prices. At 2.06bn m3 equivalent, it was more than twice last March's 950mn m³, the state energy regulator Emra reported May 28. LNG accounted for 52.5% of the total, which was down 8.2% on March 2019 at 3.9bn m³.
Qatar and US supplied 38% and 18% of the total LNG with the US more than tripling its volume year on year as more capacity has come on line.
More than half the pipeline gas came from Azerbaijan; 557mn m3 came from Iran (down a third, year on year); and only 389mn m3 came from Russia, historically its biggest supplier and this March down 72% yr/yr.
The pipeline carrying Iranian gas to Turkey exploded in Turkey on the morning of March 31, cutting off supplies, and has not been repaired yet despite offers of help from Tehran. For Q1, Turkey’s LNG imports were 6.71bn m3 equivalent, about 34.7% more than the same period of 2019, while pipeline gas imports fell 6.4% yr/yr to 8.47bn m3.
