Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov.16 /Trend A.Tagiyeva /
Turkey's demand for natural gas rose to 48 billion cubic meters in 2012 compared to 43 billion last year, the deputy general director of the state pipeline company Botaş Mehmet Konuk said.
By 2020, Turkey expects growth up to 70 billion cubic meters in the demand for natural gas which is an indication for Turkey's need to diversify gas supplies to the country, Anadolu agency quoted Konuk as saying.
"Today Turkey imports a total volume of 51 billion cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Nigeria and Algeria. However, due to an increase in demand to 70 billion cubic meters, Turkey has increase the number of supply sources," he said.
As a result of the increased demand for natural gas, Turkey is going to reduce its consumption for power generation, Konuk said.
Turkey is the largest importer of natural gas in the region. According to the Botas pipeline company, the country imported 39.7 million cubic meters of gas in 2011.