Turkey's natural gas law, which is currently under revision for liberalization, was debated at the seventh International Energy Congress and Fair on Tuesday.
Experts called for a more liberal and flexible law to facilitate imports during the session chaired by Anadolu Agency's Director General Kemal Ozturk on Tuesday.
Arif Akturk, gas group leader of the Petroleum Platform Association said the Turkish natural gas market is divided between Turkey's national oil pipeline company BOTAS and Russia's Gazprom, with Russia the main gas supplier.
Akturk, who drew attention to the need for Turkey to diversify its energy sources to guarantee supply security, also spoke about the deficiencies of Turkey's natural gas sector.
'The new natural gas law should only require one single import license, instead of many,' he said.
Currently separate licenses are needed by importing firms for each type of gas including pipeline gas, liquefied natural gas and compressed natural gas.
The new natural gas law is yet to be approved in the Turkish assembly.
Akturk also said Turkey should find ways to integrate with European gas markets, and added that gas from other countries like Slovenia can flow into Turkey,
- Anadolu Agency Energy News Terminal to be opened for subscription
The Anadolu Agency's Director General Kemal Ozturkstated that the new law will be the most comprehensive energy law so far. He added that objections to the new law from the private sector and associations will be addressed in court.
On a separate issue, Ozturk announced that the Anadolu Agency has launched the Anadolu Agency Energy News Terminal which will closely follow national and international markets to provide readers with up-to-the-minute data which also includes specialist analysis from experts.
'The terminal with its wide catchment area provides users with special analysis reports obtained from important names in the energy sector from Turkey as well as the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia,' he added.
The Energy News Terminal is able to reach both international investors interested in Turkey and local investors and entrepreneurs who wish to learn about the global energy sector because of its ideal speed, content and quality of news stories and analysis reports which are published in English.
Another first by the Energy News Terminal is the 'Energy Desk.' Similar to the 'Finance Desk,” the energy desk will begin shortly and will hold periodical meetings where important guests, sector professionals, influential names and people from the energy business sector will attend. The meetings will be held live and will be provided to sector professionals instantly via the Anadolu Agency Energy Terminal.
'Our energy correspondents, trained in the Anadolu Agency News Academy work at the production level of the English Energy News Terminal,' he added.
Our goal is to have a world-wide energy news broadcast by utilizing Turkey's geopolitical position at the center of the world's energy politics.
Ozturk announced that a lunch event on December 11 is planned to introduce the terminal to sector representatives, and by January 2015 the terminal, which is currently free of charge, will be open to subscription.
By Selen Tonkus
Anadolu Agency