Turkmenistan Forges New Gas Partnerships with Turkey and Beyond

Turkmenistan is trying to shed its long-standing image as a hermit kingdom, at least when it comes to natural gas exports.  Over the past few months, Ashgabat has gone on a deal-making binge that, over the long term, could significantly alter the European Union’s energy-import pattern. The centerpiece of Turkmenistan’s gas export diversification push is a swap arrangement with Iran and Turkey under which Ashgabat is expected to supply Ankara with 1.3 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas by the end of 2025, with annual supplies slated…