The torment of "Aksy"

The Kazanchi family is going to become a partner of Gazprom in the Turkish market

The president of the gas company Aksa Dogalgaz (part of the Aksa Group), Cemil Kazanci, reiterated to Reuters yesterday that he expects to become a major importer of Russian gas to Turkey next year. According to him, Gazprom is ready to supply 6 billion cubic meters to the market through his company after the contract for this volume with the Turkish state monopolist Botas expires in 2011. True, for this it is necessary that Botas itself (and therefore the government of the country) refuse to renew the contract with Gazprom and grant this right to a private company (owned by the Kazanchi family). In the meantime, the Russian concern’s partner in the Turkish market remains the family of another influential Istanbul businessman, Ali Shen, with whom Gazprom jointly controls the gas distributor Bosphorus Gas. It should be noted that six months ago Mr. Kazanchi already stated approximately the same thing to Reuters.

As you know, several years ago the government of Turkey, which is striving to join the EU, took a number of steps to liberalize the Turkish gas market. In 2007, Botas was forced to hold a tender to cede the rights to import 4 billion cubic meters of Russian gas via the trans-Balkan gas pipeline. This is 50% of the volume under one of the three long-term contracts existing between Gazprom and Botas. He was signed in 1998 for 23 years. Another, 25-year agreement on the import of 16 billion cubic meters through the Blue Stream offshore gas pipeline has been in effect since 1998, and the third, signed back in Soviet times (in 1988), for 6 billion cubic meters expires next year.

The Aksa group participated in the Botas tender and bid for 1 billion cubic meters of gas, but never received it. Gazprom signed contracts with four other traders - Shell Energy AS, Bosphorus Gas AS, Enerco Enerji AS and Avrasya Gaz AS. The largest volume - 2.5 billion cubic meters - was taken by Enerco Enerji AS, which is controlled by the Turkish Aklfel Group (minority package from the Austrian OMV). 750 million cubic meters flow through Bosphorus Gas, in which Gazprom had 40% and negotiations are underway to increase the stake by buying out 30% of the shares from Ringas Management BV registered in the Netherlands (the remaining share belongs to the Shen family, which is involved in the operational management of the trader). , through Avrasya Gaz (beneficiaries unknown) - 500 million, and through Shell's subsidiary - 250 million cubic meters.

After such a defeat, Aksa began to conduct active negotiations with Gazprom, which had the right to refuse cooperation with one or another trader, about the prospects for business development. According to Mr. Kazanchi, he proposes that the Russian concern jointly participate in the privatization of a gas distribution company in Ankara, build power plants, underground storage facilities, etc.

Gazprom remains silent on this matter and maintains an intensive dialogue with Botas. During the recent visit to Moscow of the Turkish Prime Minister, the acting Chairman of the Board of the Russian concern, Alexei Miller, met. the head of the company, Mehmet Konuk, and the deputy chairman of the board, Alexander Medvedev, negotiated with him before the New Year. Then the parties reached an agreement on “terms of supply,” including the possibility of increasing Gazprom’s share in the country’s domestic market. Türkiye imported 19.8 billion cubic meters from Russia last year.

Alexey GRIVACHS