TPAO authorized for urgent expropriation for energy projects

A presidential decree published in the Official Gazette has authorized Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı (TPAO) to conduct urgent expropriations for oil and natural gas exploration and production projects. The decision covers various infrastructure needs, including location sites, connection roads, pipelines, energy transmission lines, production camps, and storage facilities.

The scope of the project spans multiple regions. In the Black Sea area, the authorization extends across eight provinces: Bartın, Kastamonu, Sinop, Çorum, Amasya, Samsun, Zonguldak, and Erzurum. Additionally, the Trakya Petroleum and Natural Gas Exploration and Production Project involves the provinces of Edirne, Kırklareli, Tekirdağ, and the Gelibolu district of Çanakkale.

In the Trakya region, environmental and life advocates have raised concerns regarding the impact on agricultural lands, pastures, forests, and water resources. Critics have specifically highlighted the potential risks of hydraulic fracturing methods, noting that high water consumption could strain local resources and that chemical use might threaten groundwater and surface water. Advocates emphasized the importance of protecting the region's wheat, sunflower, and rice production for food security and have called for legal and social action to contest the expropriation.