The 25th World LNG Summit & Awards, the world's most important LNG organization, was held in İstanbul between December 2-5. Global players in the natural gas sector gathered at the World LNG Summit hosted by BOTAŞ.
The Summit was attended by Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, senior energy executives from several countries, BOTAŞ Chairman and Managing Abdulvahit Fidan, BOTAŞ Deputy Managing Directors, technology providers, financial institutions, academics, and leading representatives of the energy sector.
Abdulvahit Fidan, Chairman and Managing Director of BOTAŞ, spoke at the opening session of the Summit. Expressing his pleasure at hosting the LNG Summit for the first time in Türkiye, Managing Director Fidan emphasized Türkiye's growing role in global energy markets at a time of rapid change, noting that it has strengthened its position as a regional energy hub through both its infrastructure and international cooperation.
LNG, A Bridge to the Future
Fidan stated that the world's need for safe and affordable energy is increasing, and that LNG plays a critical role in this transformation, serving as a bridge between today and tomorrow in terms of clean energy.
Türkiye's Growing Strategic Importance
Managing Director said that Türkiye has become a reliable partner for Europe and regional countries thanks to its geographical location and strong energy infrastructure. He noted that BOTAŞ is a key player in supply security, and that more than 125 billion cubic meters of gas have been delivered to Europe to date through TANAP and TurkStream.
LNG Accounts for 25% of Türkiye's Natural Gas Consumption
Fidan emphasized that Türkiye has a total of five regasification facilities, including three FSRUs and two LNG terminals, providing a regasification capacity of over 160 million cubic meters per day, which has made Türkiye one of Europe's leading LNG countries. He also stated that LNG covers approximately 25% of Türkiye's natural gas consumption, adding that this is critical for source diversity and flexibility.
New LNG Agreements and Expanding Portfolio
Fidan noted that long-term partnerships with numerous suppliers, including the US, Europe, Algeria, Oman, and Australia, continue and new LNG agreements were signed at Gastech 2025 in Milan, strengthening Türkiye's position in the global LNG trade.
He concluded his speech by noting that BOTAŞ invests not only in infrastructure but also in technological advancements related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean fuels such as hydrogen.
Rapidly Growing Global Energy Demand
In his speech, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar stated that the energy scene is undergoing rapid changes and that global energy demand is growing rapidly. He noted that the development of artificial intelligence, data centers, and electric vehicles are further increasing this demand.
Demand Will Triple in Türkiye
Bayraktar stated that similar trends are being experienced in Türkiye, noting that energy demand has tripled over the past 20 years and is expected to triple again over the next 30 years. He also emphasized that the impact of factors such as artificial intelligence, heating and cooling systems, and climate change cannot be measured. He noted that Türkiye holds the presidency of COP 31 and that the goal of reducing emissions is one of the most important items on the agenda.
It Will Quadruple by 2028
Bayraktar emphasized that natural gas is used in households, industry, and power production, and that demand is rapidly increasing. He stated that annual consumption, which was 17.5 billion cubic meters 22 years ago, has now reached 60 billion cubic meters. Bayraktar noted that the first phase of the Sakarya Gas Field has been completed, and that gas is now being delivered to 4 million households. He added that this figure is expected to double by 2026 and quadruple by 2028.
New Ship Arrives
Bayraktar announced that the sixth ship in the Turkish energy fleet arrived in Türkiye today and it will be operational in 2026. He stated that they will conduct six new exploratory drilling operations in the Black Sea. Bayraktar reminded that they have signed agreements for five locations in Pakistan—three offshore and two onshore—for oil and natural gas exploration and production, and announced that they are open to further partnerships around the world.
25 Percent of Consumption Will Be Stored
Bayraktar stated that by investing in natural gas infrastructure, the capacity of the storage facility in Tuz Gölü will increase from 1.7 billion cubic meters to 8.5 billion cubic meters by 2030; and the capacity of the storage facility in Silivri will increase to 6 billion cubic meters by 2028. He noted that they aim to have a storage capacity equivalent to 20-25 percent of the country's annual consumption.
A Fivefold Increase
Minister Bayraktar stated that in 2016 they anticipated an increase in LNG supply in the US and developed a strategy accordingly. He added that they decided to increase regasification capacity in line with this strategy; within a short period of time, they increased it fivefold to 161 million cubic meters per day.
We Have Become a Gas Exporter
Bayraktar stated that they have begun entering into long-term contracts with global LNG suppliers, pointing out that LNG accounts for a significant portion of Türkiye’s gas imports, and that, along with Black Sea gas, they have become a gas exporter with a diversified supply portfolio.
Two New Connections
Bayraktar explained that this year they not only signed major LNG agreements but also brought gas from Turkmenistan for the first time, saying, “We added two new interconnection points to our network. We established the Iğdır-Nakhchivan and Kilis-Syria connections. Together with SOCAR and Qatar, we started supplying gas to Syria.”
Call to Europe
Bayraktar noted that they supply gas to Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Greece via pipeline, and to North Macedonia and Serbia via LNG trucks, saying, "We have created a great alternative for European countries to purchase LNG through our regasification terminals. We can make long- or short-term commitments to Europeans to bring their LNG cargoes to us and use our infrastructure. Europe can bring LNG and store it in our storage facilities."
Turkish Way
Bayraktar emphasized that Türkiye has a balanced, diversified, and forward-looking energy policy, which they call the "Turkish Way," saying, "This strategic approach makes Türkiye a reliable partner in the regional and global energy landscape. Türkiye is ready to work with all partners represented here today to build flexible and strong energy markets."
Two New LNG Agreements for 11 Billion Cubic Meters
The 25th World LNG Summit also witnessed the signing of two new agreements for Türkiye. Türkiye's national company BOTAŞ inked agreements for a total of 11 billion cubic meters of LNG supply: 6 billion cubic meters with the German state-owned company SEFE and 5 billion cubic meters with the Italian company ENI. The agreements, signed in the presence of Minister Bayraktar, were signed by BOTAŞ Managing Director Abdulvahit Fidan and executives from SEFE and ENI. The agreements will begin in 2028 and last for 10 years. SEFE and ENI will supply LNG cargoes during the winter months when natural gas consumption peaks.
Reaching 155 Billion Cubic Meters
Following the signing of the agreements and the opening speech of the Summit, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar answered journalists' questions. Minister stated that long-term LNG agreements totaling 106 billion cubic meters were signed in 2025, including the SEFE and ENI agreements, and 155 billion cubic meters starting in September 2024. He added that LNG is being used as an alternative to pipeline gas, enabling product diversification at competitive prices.
World LNG Summit
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, the World LNG Summit & Awards, a meeting point for global LNG leaders, brings together global policymakers and industry leaders across the LNG value chain to discuss the key trends shaping the future of energy.
One of the most prestigious events in the energy sector worldwide, the World LNG Summit & Awards includes several events such as strategic conferences, panels and the World LNG Awards Ceremony.
Date: 6/12/2025
