Newsletters
Türkiye’s natural gas imports rose sharply by 35.9% year-on-year in March to reach 5.996 billion cubic meters (211.67 billion cubic feet), according to data released Thursday by the Turkish Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EPDK).
The increase reflects heightened consumption across residential and industrial sectors, with additional pressure stemming from colder seasonal conditions. Out of the total imports, 3.394 billion cubic meters arrived via pipelines, while 2.601 billion cubic meters came through liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals.
Overall, natural gas consumption in Türkiye increased by 22.3% compared to March last year, reaching 7.085 billion cubic meters. Residential consumption accounted for the majority of this growth, surging 35.9% to 3.828 billion cubic meters.
Industrial use rose slightly by 0.5% to 1.158 billion cubic meters, while consumption at power plants climbed 7.7% to 870 million cubic meters.
Russia remained Türkiye’s primary pipeline supplier, delivering 1.79 billion cubic meters of gas in March. It was followed by Azerbaijan with 1.043 billion cubic meters and Iran with 561 million cubic meters.
LNG imports were led by the United States, which supplied 1.49 billion cubic meters. Algeria followed with 642 million, Nigeria with 210 million, Cameroon with 191 million, and Greece with 66 million cubic meters.
Despite higher imports and demand, Türkiye’s natural gas storage levels fell by 26.6% compared to the same period last year. Total gas reserves stood at 3.038 billion cubic meters at the end of March. Of this, 2.641 billion cubic meters were stored in underground facilities, while 397 million cubic meters were kept at LNG terminals.
Natural gas continues to dominate Türkiye’s energy imports, as the latest official trade figures show that in April, excluding energy products and non-monetary gold, the export-to-import coverage ratio was 75.7%. When those items are included, the ratio dropped to 63.2%, underscoring the weight of energy costs on Türkiye’s foreign trade balance.
1 min read
