| Abstract |
Scientific and technical studies, together with field surveys related to geothermal resources have been ongoing for almost fifty years in Turkey. Despite this considerable time, the expected investments have not been done until now, due to the lack of a geothermal law, and the insufficiency of existing legislation. As Turkey is situated on the Alpine-Himalayan Orogenic Belt, it is one of the richest countries in terms of geothermal resource potential, and has a top rank in world classification. The new geothermal law resolves the problems regarding legislation, and offers this rich potential, which could not be appraised for long years, to the interest of domestic and foreign investors. Geothermal Resources and Natural Mineral Water Act, No. 5686, issued on 13th June, 2007 was designed in accordance with the Turkish Trade Law. This new Law presents license and investment guarantees, by the issues of operating licenses to the domestic and foreign companies, valid up to thirty (30) years in the initial phase, with consequent extensions possible for ten (10) years, in later phases. This investment assurance covers holding license by a direct appeal based on a project, transferring a license to a third party, or receiving transferred licenses, re-possessing a license of a geothermal area, being released for any reason, by means of a bidding procedure. Additional aspects and assurances brought by the new law are; the availability of performing any kind of tests and measurements without being subject to production, the first legal statement until now of the application of reinjection process to preserve reservoir parameters and environment, and the obligation of post-treatment discharge considering environmental constraints, if reinjection is not possible. On the other hand, the essence of the law to preserve the geothermal system and to provide optimum utilization of the resource without wasting it, together with the prevention of visual pollution by limiting construction, has been emphasized. In brief, the new geothermal law, No. 5686, has been prepared in an approach to preserve the geothermal system and potential, and to watch the benefit of the investor. With the long-term license validity and investment assurance provided to the foreign entrepreneurs, it is aimed to put these invaluable domestic resources to the beneficiation of humankind, through all the possible geothermal-related investment areas. |