How can Turkey become an ‘energy trade hub’?

The question, “Can Turkey be an energy trade hub?” has been frequently asked lately. The fact that the offshore leg of the TurkStream project has been completed contributed to Turkey’s role in becoming a center of energy trade.

Turk Stream, TANAP, TAP and maybe new mega projects, which would transfer the minerals in the Eastern Mediterranean to the international markets, are subjects which need a great amount of attention and would contribute to the process of Turkey becoming a center of energy trade.

Turkey is a country that has been mentioned in accordance with global energy projects, and especially with natural gas projects, over the last few years. Instead of being a country that pipelines just go through, Turkey wants to be a country that bridges the countries that demand energy resources and wants to have the initiative in this matter.

Because, Ukraine, which has pipelines going through it, is clearly experiencing what happens when other countries find an alternative energy supply. Therefore, Turkey doesn’t want to experience this.

That is why Turkey has the potential to become an intersection for natural gas pipelines. It is now is a widely accepted fact that Turkey has the upper hand for energy-providing countries since it is in an advantageous position for the transfer of energy.

On the other hand, the necessity for Turkey to store natural gas, which will be coming to the country, is as important as its transferal and should be taken into account.

Turkey has a vital role in the new energy equation that will be established to transfer natural gas from the source countries to international markets. Because in this new equation, the other gas-transporting countries are in positions that constantly change. Therefore, Turkey is a constant in this equation, that is to say, it is irreplaceable thanks to its strategic location.

Another issue which needs to be analyzed in detail is the security of energy supply. Just as it is important to provide the security of the energy supply which determines the sustainability of the energy source, ensuring the security of energy demand is also important for the providing country, in transferring the energy to international markets.

Because the increase in the number of supply countries or the increase in the natural gas supply will also bring about searches for new markets for these countries. Transit countries like Turkey will assume an important role in this new energy equation.

How will Turkey’s new projects that were realized and will be realized change the balances in the Eastern Mediterranean? Will the countries that want to become actors in the Eastern Mediterranean allow Turkey to use its advantages because of its geostrategic location?

Turkey, on the one hand, wants to be a partner in the energy resource which it has every right to use, on the other hand, it wants to be the central country in the transferal of this energy. How will these efforts be evaluated by the other countries in the region and what will it mean for them?

It is obvious that all this will directly affect the process in which Turkey becomes a center in energy trade.

Isn’t the whole fight in Eastern Mediterranean all about this matter?