Turkey Plans to Build a Pipeline From Israel

In case of normalization of relations with Israel, Turkey will be able to partially decrease the dependency on Russian gas by resorting to Israel.

According to the newspaper Haberturk, Turkey and Israel are negotiating the supply of gas via a pipeline under the Mediterranean Sea. Ankara hopes that by 2019 Israel will supply up to 30 billion cubic meters per year (bcm/y) via the mentioned pipeline, of which 10 billion would be supplied to Turkey and the remaining volume would be delivered to Europe. Thus, Ankara partially reduce dependence on Russian supplies, which provide more than 50% of the country's gas.

The cost of Israeli gas - $199 for thousand cubic meters- is competitive in Turkey.

In addition, it is planned to construct a 550-kilometer pipeline along the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, which will end at the Turkish port of Mersin. The total construction cost is estimated at 2.5 - 3 billion USD.

The agreement on deliveries hasn’t been signed yet. It is expected, that it will be officially announced in spring after final settlement of the long-term dispute over the "Freedom Flotilla".

In addition to Israel, Turkey is looking for other sources of gas in other countries. In early December, Turkey and Azerbaijan agreed to boost up the speed of the construction of the Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP), to put it into operation ahead of schedule, launching TANAP, which is part of Southern Gas Corridor, earlier. It will pass through Turkey from the border with Georgia to the border with Bulgaria and Greece. In perspective, gas from Turkmenistan and the Middle East may also go through TANAP.