Today's Zaman reports that Turkey's state-owned Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) and Qatari Gas have signed a memorandum of understanding for the exploration and production of natural gas in Qatar.
Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and Qatar's Minister of Business and Commerce Jasim bin Abd al-Aziz Al Thani signed the memorandum during the Joint Economic Commission meetings on Monday in Qatar's capital of Doha.
According to the agreement a joint meeting will be held to assess several matters including the shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar to Turkey, the establishment of an LNG re-gasification plant in Turkey and the establishment of a joint venture by TPAO and Qatar Gas for natural gas exploration and production in Qatar. Moreover, both parties will discuss investment possibilities to third countries during the joint meeting addressed in the MoU.
Energy Minister Taner Yildiz has previously said Turkey is planning to sign a protocol to import around 4bn cubic meters of LNG from Qatar, according to the Anatolian News Agency. Importing gas from Qatar is seen as part of Turkey's efforts to diversify its sources of energy and ensure the security of its supply.