UK-based energy company Genel has not yet succeeded in striking a gas export partnership with a Turkish energy firm to help it overcome its oil exploration setbacks, according to industry sources.

In March the UK-listed company, which is focused on developing assets in Iraqi Kurdistan, said that it was expecting to strike a gas-export partnership deal with state-backed Turkey Energy Company before the end of this year.

Speaking in March, Chief Executive Murat Oezguel said: “We have commenced discussions for upstream and midstream with TEC.”

Oezguel added that Genel was holding parallel talks with other big companies, although a deal with TEC was a priority.

More than six months later there is still no deal on a gas export partnership.

In its latest trading update, which was published on 19 October, Genel said that during the third quarter “the company continued its efforts to maximise the value of its KRI gas assets, which included negotiations with potential farm-in partners for the upstream development of the Miran and Bina Bawi gas fields”.

The update did not mention Turkey Energy Company.

When asked by MEED for more details on the negotiations a spokesperson for the company declined to comment on the record.

Relations between Iraqi Kurdistan and Turkey have deteriorated over recent months due to the referendum on independence that was held on 25 September.