Turkey Proposes Alternative Energy Corridor as Strait of Hormuz Disruptions Expose Global Vulnerabilities

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the disruptive effects on global energy supplies caused by the U.S.-Israel-Iran war is bigger than the oil shocks of the 1970s and the 2022 loss of Russian pipeline gas.

Many countries are discussing alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, but in reality, all of these alternatives are likely to fail. The main reason is the vulnerability of such infrastructure — oil pipelines running from the Gulf to places like Syria or Turkey can be easily targeted by drones.

Modern warfare is increasingly driven by drones and artificial intelligence. We have seen this clearly in conflicts such as the war between Russia and Ukraine, as well as confrontations involving Hezbollah and Israel, and tensions between the United States and Iran.

The best solution is to reach a political and diplomatic agreement that satisfies all parties. The alternative solutions being discussed are likely to fail for two main reasons: first, their extremely high cost; and second, the significant security risks, whether from drone attacks or sabotage operations targeting these pipelines.

Athough, it is clear that some regional countries may benefit from the closure of the Strait for their own interests, including Turkey, Israel, Syria, and others.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the structural fragility of oil export systems across the Gulf region and Iraq, where energy flows depend almost entirely on this critical maritime chokepoint. The disruption has accelerated efforts to identify and develop alternative export routes capable of absorbing stranded oil and gas supplies.

Mounting Pressure on Global Energy Flows

Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has dropped dramatically by more than 90% in some periods with complete halts on certain days. The consequences have been immediate and severe: oil prices surged from around $70 to approximately $120 per barrel, while European natural gas prices doubled from €30 to as high as €70.

The Strait typically handles about 21 million barrels of oil per day. Roughly one-fifth of global consumption and about 25% of global LNG trade. Its closure has triggered rising shipping and insurance costs, further straining global supply chains and intensifying inflationary pressures across energy, food, and fertilizer markets.

More than 400 loaded tankers are currently stranded in the Gulf, unable to exit, while over 100 empty vessels remain unable to enter. Iranian restrictions, including blocking several empty tankers bound for Iraq and the UAE, have worsened the logistical bottleneck.

Limited Existing Alternatives

Despite the urgency, existing alternatives to Hormuz remain limited in scale.

Saudi East–West Pipeline: Extending 1,200 km from the Eastern Province to Yanbu on the Red Sea, this pipeline has a capacity of up to 7 million barrels per day. However, actual throughput depends on tanker availability and port capacity.

UAE Habshan–Fujairah Pipeline: With a capacity of 1.5–1.8 million barrels per day, this route bypasses Hormuz by delivering crude directly to the Gulf of Oman. Still, operations have been affected by drone attacks.

Iraq–Turkey (Kirkuk–Ceyhan) Pipeline: Recently resumed after a prolonged shutdown, it currently transports around 170,000 barrels per day, with plans to scale up to 250,000.

Iran’s Goreh–Jask Pipeline: Designed to bypass Hormuz with a capacity of 1 million barrels per day, though infrastructure remains incomplete.

Combined, these alternatives can only handle between 3.5 and 5.5 million barrels daily. Far below the volume typically flowing through Hormuz.

Turkey Emerges as a Strategic Energy Hub

Amid these constraints, Turkey has positioned itself as a key alternative transit corridor linking the Middle East, Central Asia, and Europe.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum that Turkey is advancing new energy routes to stabilize global supply chains. Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar outlined several major initiatives.

Basra–Adana Oil Pipeline: An extension of the existing Iraq–Turkey pipeline to southern Iraq, potentially transporting up to 1.5 million barrels per day directly to Mediterranean markets.

Qatar–Turkey Gas Pipeline: A proposed project linking Qatar’s vast gas reserves to Europe via Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria, reducing reliance on LNG routes via Hormuz.

Turkmen Gas Corridor: Expansion of gas flows from Turkmenistan via the Caspian Sea and Azerbaijan into Europe through the TANAP pipeline, strengthening Turkey’s role as a transit hub.

Turkey already facilitates Russian gas flows to Europe via the TurkStream pipeline, which recently saw a 22% increase in volumes to 55 million cubic meters per day.

Additional Regional Proposals

Other projects under consideration include:

Iraq–Jordan Pipeline: Transporting up to 1 million barrels per day from Basra to Aqaba on the Red Sea.

Iraq–Oman Pipeline: Connecting Basra to the Port of Duqm on the Arabian Sea, though still in early planning stages.

Overland Transport via Syria: Using tanker trucks to reach Mediterranean ports such as Baniyas.

Gulf–Oman Canal Concept: A theoretical megaproject bypassing Hormuz, though technically complex and prohibitively expensive.

Strategic and Economic Implications

While Gulf countries possess the financial and technical capacity to expand alternative routes, achieving full independence from the Strait of Hormuz remains a long-term objective requiring yearsif not decades of investment.

In the short term, the United States has benefited from the crisis, with Asian buyers increasingly turning to American oil and gas exports. Meanwhile, European markets are also relying more heavily on Norwegian pipelines and North African supplies.

Energy analysts emphasize that prolonged instability in Hormuz could accelerate structural shifts in global energy systems, including increased adoption of renewable energy and diversification of supply routes.

The crisis has underscored the strategic importance of diversifying energy export infrastructure. While existing alternatives provide partial relief, they are insufficient to fully replace Hormuz. Turkey’s geographic position and expanding network of pipelines position it as a critical player in future energy logistics—but significant infrastructure expansion will be necessary before it can offset disruptions at scale.

As geopolitical tensions persist, the race to secure resilient and flexible energy corridors is no longer optional—it is a strategic imperative for global economic stability.

Steven Sahiounie is a two-time award=winning journalist.