BOTAŞ Deputy Managing Director Mithat Aydın and Head of Natural Gas Supply and Export Department Yunus Emre İcik spoke at the 25th World LNG Summit & Awards, hosted by BOTAŞ in İstanbul between December 2-5, 2025.

In his speech at the session titled "Global Strategy Panel: LNG Market Growth in a Multipolar World," BOTAŞ Deputy General Manager Mithat Aydın stated that one of the significant opportunities in the global LNG market is Africa, that there is significant energy demand in Africa, and that this continent could capture a significant share of the upcoming LNG waves. He also emphasized that Africa also poses a significant risk in the global LNG market, as the continent produces large quantities of LNG, and uncertainties in African countries could negatively impact LNG markets.

Deputy Managing Director Aydın briefed the audience on the Turkish natural gas market, stating that LNG plays a significant role in establishing a strong and flexible natural gas trading hub, increasing supply diversity and contributing to supply security. He also emphasized its crucial role in meeting seasonal demand.

In this context, Aydın stated that BOTAŞ will continue to invest in increasing both underground storage and LNG regasification capacity.

Aydın finally stated that flexible commercial provisions and favorable pricing conditions are essential for the LNG industry to remain competitive.

On the third day of the Summit, Yunus Emre İcik, Head of the Natural Gas Supply and Export Department at BOTAŞ, spoke at the session titled “The Future of LNG Trading: Maintaining Flexibility and Efficiency in an Evolving World.” In his speech he stated that the developing LNG market has contributed to BOTAŞ’s active role in this market, that several long-term LNG agreements have been signed in recent years, that there are volumes with destination flexibility in the agreements, and that this will contribute to BOTAŞ's portfolio management under the current uncertainties. He also emphasized that connectivity with other markets is crucial to becoming a developed natural gas trading hub and that this connectivity can be achieved through LNG.

İcik stated that the need to simultaneously optimize multiple parameters in the LNG market has significantly increased complexity, highlighting the necessity for the integration of digital tools and artificial intelligence into the LNG sector.

Hosting the world's most important LNG summit on behalf of our country and taking its place among the major players in the global energy sector, BOTAŞ continues to take firm steps towards its goal of making Turkey an energy hub with its experience spanning more than half a century, its advanced infrastructure, and its strategic investments.

Date: 6/12/2025