Gas in Turkey

Natural gas is a fossil fuel that occurs in nature. Its primary component is methane, with a range of other hydrocarbon gases also present. It is a key energy source used in a variety of applications, including households, industry and electricity generation.

Prior to the advent of natural gas, the world was reliant on other forms of gas, including air gas. Air gas used for lighting and heating was produced from wood or coal. The use of air gas, with the first examples originating in Belgium, France and the United Kingdom, commenced in the second half of the 18th century. It was subsequently introduced to the Ottoman Empire in 1853, with the illumination of Dolmabahçe Palace and subsequently Istiklal Street, Galata and Tophane. In many cities, facilities designated as “gazhane” were constructed for the production of gas. The discovery of natural gas and the subsequent widespread use of other sources, such as coal, in electricity generation and heating resulted in a decline in iar gas production.

Turkey’s history of gas extraction dates back to 1970. It was first consumed in Kırklareli in 1976 at the Pınarhisar Cement Factory. The first gas import from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics occurred in 1987, with the first use occurring on 23 June of that year at the Thrace Combined Cycle Power Plant in Hamitabat (now Hamitabat Natural Gas Combined Cycle Power Plant). The gas pipeline, which entered Turkey via Bulgaria, reached Ankara in August 1988. In the same year, the gas was used in İGSAŞ (Istanbul Gübre Sanayii A.Ş.) and the Ambarlı Power Plant, and in October in the residential and commercial sectors in Ankara. As a result, gas was introduced into our lives in many areas, being used in industry, electricity generation and residences.

The use of gas in Turkey has increased rapidly due to its clear advantages over coal in preventing air pollution and its status as the preferred source of electricity generation. In the 1990s, air pollution reached unacceptable levels in Turkey’s major cities. The situation reached a point where schools were closed in January 1993 and a state of emergency was declared in Istanbul. The role of gas in reducing air pollution has contributed to its reputation as an environmentally friendly fuel. Both the public and private sectors have consistently highlighted the environmental benefits of gas as a fuel source.

The rise in gas consumption in Turkey is not solely attributable to households. Additionally, gas is utilised in industrial processes, electricity generation and, to a lesser extent, in transport (compressed natural gas, or CNG). Turkey has a high level of dependence on imported gas. For further details, please refer to the sections on gas production and imports, as well as gas, energy and the economy.