Erdogan offers free gas pre-election after first Black Sea field shipment

25 Apr 2023 · 5 min
4:47

In a Arabic‑language interview, host Speaker A speaks with Dr. Omid Shokri, a faculty member at George Mason University joining from Washington, about Turkey’s recent discovery of natural gas in the Black Sea (the Sakarya field). Dr. Shokri explains that Turkey imports about 98 % of its gas and spends over $80 billion annually on energy, so a domestic source would improve energy security and diversify supply. However, the announced reserve size (up to 720 billion cubic metres) lacks verification from an internationally recognised body, and many experts doubt its commercial viability because the field lies in deep water and would require costly foreign technology and financing. The interview then turns to President Recep Erdogan’s pre‑election pledge to provide free natural gas to Turkish households. Dr. Shokri notes that the promise is legally questionable, but politically it is intended to win votes in the upcoming election. He stresses that without external financing and deep‑water expertise, Turkey cannot extract the gas at scale, and the project’s economics remain uncertain. The discussion also touches on Turkey’s green‑hydrogen strategy, which aims to produce 10 million cubic metres of hydrogen initially and later up to 40 million cubic metres per day, contributing to 7 % of daily gas needs and eventually a larger share. Achieving these climate‑related goals also depends on foreign partners from the United States, Europe, and China. The interview concludes with the host thanking Dr. Shokri for his insights.

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