Türkiye to increase capacity of gas storage facility in Istanbul to 5.6 bcm, says energy minister

Türkiye aims to increase the capacity of the Silivri Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility to 5.6 billion cubic meters (bcm), said the Turkish energy and natural resources minister on Saturday.

‘We are working on a new project that will increase the capacity here to 5.6 or 6 bcm,’ Alparslan Bayraktar told reporters during a visit to the country’s first gas storage facility, which started operations in 2007.

This is an additional capacity of 1 bcm from the current 4.6 bcm the minister noted, adding the capacity increase will take place within the next 2-3 years.

Bayraktar also said that the facility, operated by the Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS), is ready for winter with a 100 percent occupancy rate.

The minister underlined that the facility is one of the most important elements of Türkiye’s robust natural gas infrastructure, a necessity for becoming gas trading center.

Türkiye is strengthening its natural gas infrastructure with strategic steps taken towards the target of an increased natural gas storage capacity.

Natural gas storage facilities stand out as strategic infrastructure facilities in securing gas supply for Türkiye, highly dependent on energy imports. The country also wants to secure the highest volumes of stored gas in these facilities, especially before winter when natural gas consumption seasonally increases.

Türkiye has two underground gas storage facilities, operated by BOTAS. The other one is the Tuz Golu Natural Gas Storage Facility, located in the Central Anatolian province of Aksaray with a current capacity of 1.2 bcm.

• Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS).