Turkey's role as an Energy Transit: Bridging Europe and Asia

Mgr. Petra Javorčíková

Master's thesis

Anotácia:

Turkey’s geostatic position centered in the middle of energy producers and consumers gives Ankara the potential to transit Azerbaijan, Iraqi Kurdistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Israel and Iran gas supply though its territory. In international gas trade such diversify and capacity of supply flow is unprecedented, making Turkey a unique transit state. Ankara is well aware of this unique potential and engages in active pipeline politics in the Caspian Basin with the ambition to harness the regional power that comes with its prestigious position. The quantity of the volumes potentially transiting across Turkey determines how significant its transit role will be in the region. However, since the actual delivery is not certain, the analysis of geopolitical and economical independent variables evaluates the viability of these volumes to flow though Turkey’s transmission system by 2025. Overall, data allow to assess to what extend Turkey can become a transit state by the medium term. The findings reveal that Ankara holds little potential of achieving its ambition. In the best-case scenario marginal volumes, from one additional producer will contribute to Turkey’s role as a transit state. Ankara’s ambition and strive for regional power is only theoretical prospective.

Abstract:

Turkey’s geostatic position centered in the middle of energy producers and consumers gives Ankara the potential to transit Azerbaijan, Iraqi Kurdistan, Turkmenistan, Russia, Israel and Iran gas supply though its territory. In international gas trade such diversify and capacity of supply flow is unprecedented, making Turkey a unique transit state. Ankara is well aware of this unique potential and engages in active pipeline politics in the Caspian Basin with the ambition to harness the regional power that comes with its prestigious position. The quantity of the volumes potentially transiting across Turkey determines how significant its transit role will be in the region. However, since the actual delivery is not certain, the analysis of geopolitical and economical independent variables evaluates the viability of these volumes to flow though Turkey’s transmission system by 2025. Overall, data allow to assess to what extend Turkey can become a transit state by the medium term. The findings reveal that Ankara holds little potential of achieving its ambition. In the best-case scenario marginal volumes, from one additional producer will contribute to Turkey’s role as a transit state. Ankara’s ambition and strive for regional power is only theoretical prospective.

Keywords

Turkey, transit state, pipeline politics, Southern Gas Corridor, regional power, geopolitics.

Jazyk práce: English

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 29. 5. 2017

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Obhajoba proběhla 21. 6. 2017
• Vedúci: Mgr. Jan Osička, Ph.D.
• Oponent: Mgr. Martin Jirušek, Ph.D.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Social Studies

Master programme / odbor:
International Territorial Studies / Energy Security Studies (Eng.)