Turkey to receive Russian diesel under a deal with Trump - minister
Kyiv • UNN
Turkey has agreed to receive some Russian diesel fuel under a deal with Trump. The second gas platform will be launched in 2028.
Turkey will receive part of the diesel fuel that Russia is supposed to supply to global markets under an agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said this on October 18, UNN reports, citing Reuters.
Details
Bayraktar said that the agreement between the United States and Russia on the supply of diesel fuel was important from the standpoint of Turkey's energy security. Ankara depends on Russia to meet some of its energy needs, as well as on Iran, Azerbaijan and other countries, the publication notes. It is trying to diversify its energy sources through operations with the United States and other partners.
"Russia imposed restrictions on diesel fuel exports in recent months, when it began facing this problem. Now they have reached an agreement on diesel fuel with Trump... Thanks to the negotiations we held, we will receive some of this diesel fuel in Turkey," Bayraktar told Kanal 7. He did not go into details.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European officials and some of Trump's Republican colleagues have sharply criticized the agreement.
Gas production
Bayraktar also said that Turkey plans to launch a second floating gas production platform in the first quarter of 2028, adding that the platform will increase Turkey's daily production in the Black Sea to 45 million cubic meters.
On Saturday, Turkey sent its first floating gas production platform, Osman Gazi, to the Black Sea, which, according to Bayraktar, is expected to approximately double daily production from its largest domestic gas field, the Sakarya field, to 20 million cubic meters from the current 9.5 million, equivalent to 7.3 billion cubic meters per year.
"In the first quarter of 2028, a second floating production platform will arrive in Turkey, and with its help we will obtain production of 25 million cubic meters. It has a slightly higher capacity (than Osman Gazi)," he said.
"Thus, with 45 million cubic meters, we will use our own gas in three out of four homes in Turkey," the Turkish minister noted.
He added that Turkey's daily production at the field would increase to 550,000 barrels of oil equivalent with the construction of the second floating platform.
Turkey is one of Europe's largest gas markets, consuming 59 billion cubic meters last year. The country is almost entirely dependent on gas imports, while domestic production last year amounted to 3.1 billion cubic meters, most of which came from the Sakarya field.
Bayraktar also said that planned hydrocarbon exploration operations off the coast of Pakistan had been postponed by approximately six months due to the impact of the war with Iran on the region.