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Türkiye's state energy company BOTAS and Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR signed a long-term natural gas supply agreement on Monday that will deliver a total of 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas from Azerbaijan to Türkiye over 15 years beginning in 2029.
According to a statement from Türkiye's Energy and Natural Resources Ministry, the deal was signed during Baku Energy Week by both state companies along with French energy giant TotalEnergies and the UAE's Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as part of new production investments at Azerbaijan's Absheron gas field.
The ministry described the agreement as a new step in the energy partnership between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, adding that it supports Ankara's ambition to become a regional energy hub while contributing to the energy security of Türkiye, neighboring countries and Europe.
The Absheron gas-condensate field, located about 100 kilometers southeast of Baku in the Caspian Sea, is estimated to hold around 350 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 45 million tons of condensate, making it one of Azerbaijan's largest offshore gas discoveries and a key component of the country's plans to expand gas exports to regional and European markets.
The field entered production in 2023 under its first development phase, led by SOCAR and TotalEnergies, with further expansion projects expected to significantly increase output over the coming years.
Speaking in a message delivered at the opening of the event, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan highlighted the expanding energy partnership between Türkiye and Azerbaijan, pointing to landmark projects such as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline and the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP).
He also cited cooperation in the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli and Shah Deniz fields, as well as the Shafag-Asiman project, as evidence of deepening bilateral ties. Looking ahead, Erdogan pointed to opportunities to boost cooperation on transporting Turkmen gas through Azerbaijan and Türkiye.
"There are significant opportunities ahead of us to further develop our cooperation on the export of Turkmen gas via Azerbaijan and Türkiye," Erdogan said, referring to the proposed Trans-Caspian pipeline.
The Trans-Caspian pipeline, a long-discussed proposal, would transport Turkmen gas across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, where it could be delivered to Türkiye and Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor. While the project has yet to move forward, it remains a key option for expanding Caspian gas exports and diversifying European energy supplies.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar described Türkiye and Azerbaijan as a model for long-term energy cooperation, saying the partnership contributes to the energy security of both countries and Europe. He noted that TANAP still has significant unused capacity and stressed the need to make better use of existing infrastructure.
"Türkiye and Azerbaijan truly demonstrate exemplary cooperation through projects such as pipelines," Bayraktar said. "Together, we make a significant contribution to both our own energy security and Europe's energy security."
Bayraktar also signaled growing support for transporting Turkmen gas to Türkiye and Europe via Azerbaijan.
"There were statements that the time has come for Turkmen gas to reach Türkiye and Europe through Azerbaijan," he said. "All of our counterparts are highly interested in these issues. Perhaps we are now at a point where everyone is ready to say yes."
He added that Türkiye is pursuing new supply agreements while expanding natural gas and electricity connections with neighboring countries and Europe.
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