Erdoğan calls Azerbaijan for oil ”partnership” in Libya
Turkish media have quoted President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan as saying that Turkey is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in the petrochemical industry in Libya.
Turkey and Azerbaijan, through the existing joint structure, can “operate in the hydrocarbons sector in Turkey, Libya or other countries, and can also take part in oil refining,” Erdoğan told reporters after a visit to Azerbaijan.
Erdoğan responded to a question about whether there will be a partnership in the field of natural gas and oil exploration and extraction with Azerbaijan in the Black Sea or other regions, citing the existing partnership with Azerbaijan in the TANAP and TAP pipelines to transport Azerbaijani natural gas to Turkey and Europe.
Erdoğan said : “For example, we have a structure related to Turkish oil at the moment. With this structure, we can take such a step in Libya with our dear friend Ilham Aliyev, just as we meet together in TANAP and TAP.”
The Turkish president noted that both countries have experience in the exploitation of oil and natural gas resources, “since we have the same knowledge and experience, it is possible to even take some steps in the field of refining.”
Erdoğan said that the two countries could work in the oil sector, either in Turkey or elsewhere, “and not just to open up to Europe” with such steps.
Azerbaijan, which has significant oil and gas reserves, is active in the fields of oil extraction, distribution and refining, and in the petrochemical industry through the state energy company Sukar, which opened a large oil refinery in Izmir a few years ago. It also controls the Turkish petrochemical complex Bitkim.
