Istanbul energy summit charts future of energy investments

State policymakers, national energy giants and private sector representatives on Friday used the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit as a platform to discuss the future of energy investments.

The event was organized through cooperation between Turkuvaz Media, Türkiye’s leading media group and Daily Sabah’s parent company, and the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry.

In a session moderated by Daily Sabah senior business editor Alen Lepan, participants discussed “Navigating Uncertainty: Investment Strategies for Hydrocarbons and Minerals.”

The panel focused on geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility in a fast-changing world, tested by a stream of lingering conflicts, especially in energy-rich regions.

The panel highlighted the importance of a balanced approach between energy security and low-carbon transition and was attended by Ghiath Diab, deputy minister of energy for oil affairs of Syria, Noureddine Daoudi, CEO of Algeria’s Sonatrach, Olivier Blaringhem, executive vice president of Subsea 7 Conventional, and Tüprag CEO Mehmet Yılmaz.

Participants exchanged views on energy’s role in the transition process, green investments, critical mineral supplies, localization strategies and supply chain security. They emphasized that international collaborations would rise in importance in the near future, along with local capacity building and sustainable investment models.

Syria’s Diab underlined that strengthening energy security was increasingly being tied to the ability to adapt to political and economic changes and for Syria, rebuilding the energy sector was more than a technical matter and became “more of an institutional and economic matter.”

“Our priority in rebuilding the energy sector is ensuring a clean regulatory environment to define the role of investors and companies in running and developing the businesses. We are also working on implementing a clear regulation on pricing and licensing,” he said.

Daoudi stated that long-term investment strategies in the energy sector should focus on sustainability, strategic importance and environmental sensitivity.

He emphasized that energy transformation is interconnected and noted that energy security and energy transformation should be considered together. He also pointed out that, especially in Europe, the shift toward new energy technologies is expected to continue over the next decade.

Daoudi said that natural gas plays a key role in many energy-related transformations and added that the company prioritizes reducing methane emissions and carbon capture technologies.

Subsea 7’s Blaringhem stated that the company has a clear strategy in offshore energy projects and currently employs around 12,000 people and operates 40 vessels worldwide.

He said that reducing carbon emissions is a key priority in the energy transition and noted that major international energy companies have recently become more interested in projects in Türkiye. Blaringhem emphasized that this interest stems from the current situation in the Middle East and added that energy-related developments in Türkiye have increased interest in the country.

Tüprag’s Yılmaz said that the transformation of the mining sector appears inevitable in the global transition toward a low-carbon economy.

Yılmaz noted that global demand for minerals has increased due to the transition to renewable energy and added that, without mining, it would not be possible to produce products needed for renewable energy, electric vehicles and the defense industry.

He emphasized that mining must be evaluated with a holistic perspective and said that investment decisions should be shaped not only by financial criteria but also by sustainability, environmental sensitivity, occupational safety and social factors.

DAILYSABAH