Turkey and the TRNC are preparing a gas pipeline: the project is planned to be completed by 2028

Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources A. Bayraktar said that progress is being made on the gas pipeline project between Turkey and the TRNC, which is seen as one of the region’s key energy projects.

According to him, engineering work on the 97-kilometre section of the pipeline from Alanya to the TRNC is planned to be completed this year, while the full implementation of the project is scheduled for 2028. Bayraktar stressed that the project is aimed not only at meeting the TRNC’s energy needs, but also at broader integration of the Eastern Mediterranean into the European energy market.

The minister noted that the new infrastructure could in the future be used to transport natural gas from possible new fields in the region through Turkey to Europe, including by using a reverse-flow system.

The statements were made on A Haber after the Istanbul INRES 2026 Natural Resources Summit, where global energy projects and cooperation between countries were discussed.

Bayraktar also spoke about a parallel energy corridor project known as TANAP, which provides for the transmission of renewable energy from Azerbaijan to Europe through Turkey. According to him, some European countries have already shown interest in the project, and work on the feasibility study has reached its final stage.

«I hope that in the near future this will evolve into an intergovernmental agreement, perhaps at the level of heads of state», — the minister said.

In addition, Bayraktar reported an increase in natural gas production in the Black Sea. In his assessment, after the completion of the third phase of development in 2028, domestic production will be able to meet the needs of up to 16–17 million households. He also expressed hope for new results from drilling work, including the Eflani well.

The project is seen as part of a long-term strategy to strengthen energy security and expand the region’s export potential.