TURKISH GATE IN GLOBAL ENERGY SECURITY: BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN PIPELINE

Abstract

Demise of the Soviet Union has tremendous impacts upon both global politics and economics. Global energy security issues are no exception to that. Rich hydrocarbon potentials of the Central Asian region attracted the attention of major actors of international energy industry that are looking viable alternatives in order to overcome the negative effects of the reliance on the unstable Middle Eastern crude oil. Central Asian region in general and Azerbaijan in particular have acquired prominence within this atmosphere. Since the area was landlocked, geographical condition of the region dictated the construction of pipelines in order to carry these energy sources to high seas in order to reach the consumption points. It is the Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan pipeline that has been preferred among the possible routes that has been offered. With the functioning of Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan pipeline, Turkey has strengthened her hand in global energy security calculations in becoming a major energy terminal. As a result of these developments, Turkey and Azerbaijan have become influential actors of global energy calculations that have international effects in global scale and significant effects upon particular countries.

Keywords

• Central Asia
• Turkey
• Azerbaijan
• Pipeline