Turkey Could Import About 21 bcm of Azeri Gas by 2026

Turkey could more than triple natural gas imports from Azerbaijan once the planned $10 billion TANAP pipeline reaches full capacity in 2026, the general manager of the project told Reuters on Wednesday.

As per the plan TANAP would initially carry 16 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year by mid-2018 of which 6 bcm will be supplied to Turkey, the rest going to Europe.

"Once the flow in the pipeline reaches 31 bcm, Turkey will be able to buy 21 bcm of this if it wants to. Both BOTAS or Turkish private companies can buy this," Saltuk Düzyol said in an interview to Reuters.

The gas will come from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz II field in the Caspian Sea.

TANAP will deliver 10 bcm to Europe once it is connected to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) by 2020. By 2023, TANAP's capacity will rise to 23 bcm per year and then to 31 bcm by 2026, according to project executives.