Eastern Mediterranean Energy Landscape Shifts to Infrastructure Wars

The Eastern Mediterranean is witnessing a shift in its energy landscape, as the focus has moved from who owns the vast natural gas deposits to which countries possess the necessary infrastructure to facilitate energy sales.

This change was highlighted by Cyril Widdershoven, a senior advisor at Blue Water Strategy, who noted that 'the history of the Eastern Mediterranean has taken a turn, from 'Who owns the gas?' to 'Who controls the access routes to the market?'

Egypt and Turkey are emerging as key contenders in this new landscape. Egypt's major advantage lies in its two liquefaction plants, Idku and Damietta, which enable large-scale export of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Replicating such infrastructure is estimated to take nearly a decade and cost between $6 billion and $10 billion.

Turkey, on the other hand, has adopted a diversified approach, relying less on LNG infrastructure. It has secured major LNG deals with around a dozen suppliers over the past year, aiming to reduce its dependence on gas from Iran and Russia while storing surplus supplies for re-export.