The Turkish Minister of Energy, Alferslan Bayerkatar, pointed to the depletion of Azerbaijan's gas reserves and called Turkmenistan's resources a promising alternative for Turkey and Europe.
According to him, TANAP's capacity allows it to double exports to the European Union, but a new source of supply is needed.
However, the path of Turkmen gas is complicated: supplies through Iran have been blocked due to American pressure (since October 2025), and the trans-Casipian gas pipeline has remained under discussion for years. The main obstacle is not only investments, but also disputes regarding the demarcation of the bottom of the Caspian Sea, in particular, regarding the Kapaz/Serdar field between Baku and Ashgabat.
With the Turkish-Iranian gas contracts set to expire in November, Bayer Qatar's statement appears to signal a search for a long-term replacement for the current Southern Gas Corridor. Without solving infrastructure and legal problems, it is likely that Turkmen gas will not become a real alternative.
Duty Officer for Transcaucasia.