Turkey’s natural gas imports increased by 34.9% in May this year compared to the same month of 2020, according to data of Turkey’s energy watchdog on Friday.
Natural gas imports increased to around 3.59 billion cubic meters (bcm) from approximately 2.66 bcm for the same month of 2020, Turkey’s Energy Market Regulatory Authority (EMRA) said in its monthly natural gas market report.
In May 2021, the country imported 3.15 bcm of natural gas via pipelines, while 449 million cubic meters (mcm) was purchased as LNG, EMRA’s data showed. This marked an increase in pipeline gas imports of 157.9% while LNG imports fell by 68.9%.
Russia was Turkey’s top gas import destination, supplying 1.86 bcm of natural gas while Iran and Azerbaijan followed with 860 mcm and 426 mcm, respectively.
Turkey’s gas imports from Russia and Iran grew by 477.9% and 100% in May, respectively, while imports from Azerbaijan declined by 51,6% compared to the same period of 2020.
Turkey’s total gas consumption also increased by 61.4% to approximately 3.64 bcm, from around 2.26 bcm in May 2020.
Household consumption decreased by 12.8% to 725 mcm, while the use of gas in power plants increased by 333.6% to 1.18 bcm during the same period.
Consumption growth in natural gas power plants, which generated more electricity due to drought and lower hydro capacity over the last few months, continues to boost imports.
The huge increase in gas consumption and imports in May this year compared to May last year reflects the slowdown after the first coronavirus case was reported in Turkey in March last year when the country announced a country-wide lockdown which slowed down economic activity.
The natural gas volume in storage in May 2021 increased by 10.4% to around 2.37 bcm compared to about 2.15 bcm in May 2020.
Source: Anadolu Agency