Turkey, Qatar to Discuss LNG Terminal Plans

Turkey and Qatar are expected to discuss construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on Aegean coast to help meet rising domestic needs and as Turkey’s role as an energy supplier to Europe grows, Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said, Reuters reported.

The planned terminal is expected to have an annual capacity of 5 million to 6 million cubic meters and could help supply Bulgaria and Greece as well as help Turkey meet its own rising LNG demand, the minister said.

 “We think it would be appropriate to build an LNG terminal on the Gulf of Saros to meet the needs of Turkey and the region. Qatar would carry out the feasibility work and evaluate the project,” Yildiz told reporters in Algiers on the first day of a visit to Algeria, Libya and Qatar, Reuters said.

Turkey’s daily gas demand was about 125 million cubic meters in late 2012 and is likely to rise to nearly 220 million during the harsh winter months, energy ministry officials say.

It buys natural gas from Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan and LNG from Nigeria and Algeria under long-term contracts.

Qatar is the world’s largest LNG exporter but mainly sells to Asian markets. Turkey currently has no long-term contracts with Qatar but is starting to negotiate them, Yildiz said.