Turkey pushes energy routes bypassing Hormuz amid Gulf tensions

Turkey is stepping up efforts to position itself as a key regional energy hub by promoting pipeline projects that could reduce global reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, amid rising instability in the Gulf and tighter Iranian control over key maritime routes.

The shipping crisis has already forced major players to seek alternatives. Saudi Arabia has increased flows through its East-West pipeline to the Red Sea, while Iraq is exploring land routes via Turkey and Syria.

Turkey’s Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Ankara sees a “historic opportunity” to reshape regional logistics. Among the most notable proposals is reviving a long-discussed pipeline to transport Qatari gas to Turkey and onward to Europe.

“Qatari LNG exports are effectively blocked. We offer an alternative that eliminates Hormuz risks by delivering gas via pipelines to Turkey and further to Europe,” Bayraktar said.

The project is estimated to cost around $15 billion and would require coordination across Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria, posing significant geopolitical challenges.

Turkey is also advancing other routes, including a Trans-Caspian pipeline linking Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, as well as plans to expand the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline to southern Iraq’s Basra fields.

Analysts say a more immediate option could be integrating northern Syrian oil fields into the Iraq-Turkey network, potentially restoring production levels significantly.

However, Western analysts warn that such energy corridors face high geopolitical risks, including potential attacks by Iran-aligned groups.

Still, if implemented, the projects could reduce global dependence on chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz and reshape regional energy security.

N.Tebrizli