Turkish CEO Predicts Gas From Israel

YERUSHALAYIM

While Turkish officials have been playing down the reported diplomatic breakthrough with Israel, a Turkish energy executive has said that he looks forward to natural gas flowing to his country from Israel in the next few years.

“Half of the natural gas in Leviathan, 250 BCM, is slated for Turkey in the next 20-30 years. Starting in 2020, 8 BCM of gas will flow to Turkey each year,” Turcas Petrol CEO Batu Aksoy told a press conference in Ankara, widely covered in the Turkish media.

“In terms of the eastern Mediterranean gas, the Turkish-Israeli friendship is based on long-lasting history. As we enter the year 2016, we are in a period where we must further enhance our connections with not only our neighbors but also world countries,” Aksoy said.

Negotiations for Leviathan gas have been going on for months, though, without any concrete result. Meanwhile, as the diplomatic rift remains unresolved, a government-imposed ban on gas imports from Israel remains in place.

The Turkish economy’s consumption of gas is seven times that of the Israeli economy, and is projected to double over the next 20 years. Turkey has no gas resources of its own, and currently obtains gas from Iran, Russia, and Azerbaijan.

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