Turkey became the second largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) importer country in Europe in 2017, according to the latest report of the International Gas Union (IGU) released in July.
According to statistics compiled from the report, European countries imported 47 million tonnes of LNG in total in 2017.
Spain was the leading country in LNG imports in Europe with 12.2 million tonnes per year.
Turkey imported 7.8 million tonnes of LNG last year. France followed Turkey with 6 million tonnes and the U.K. imported 4.9 million tonnes.
Turkey was the third biggest LNG importer in 2015 and fourth biggest in Europe in 2016 with 5.6 million tonnes per year.
African and Middle Eastern countries supplied the majority of Europe's LNG.
Turkey imported 3.45 million tonnes of LNG from Algeria, 1.51 million tonnes from Nigeria and one million tonnes from Qatar.
Other countries that sold LNG to Turkey were Norway, Trinidad & Tobago and the U.S.
- Turkey develops LNG system
Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Ministry aims to increase its natural gas storage capacity and the number of LNG facilities in the country.
The country has its Marmara Ereglisi LNG Terminal with a capacity of 5.9 million tonnes and the Aliaga Egegaz LNG Terminal with 4.4 million tonnes of capacity per annum.
Turkey also has two floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs), one of which is located in Izmir and the other in Hatay.
The country plans a third FSRU in the Saros Bay, north of the Gallipoli Peninsula in northwestern Turkey.
In addition, Spain, which does not have an FSRU, has LNG terminals located in Barcelona, Huelva, Cartagena, Bilbao, Sagunto, Mugardos and El Musel.
By Murat Temizer
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr