Turkey's petroleum policy in the Democratic Party era and Turkish Petroleum Corporation (1950-1960)

This thesis examines Turkey's petroleum policy and the development of Türkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklığı (TPAO) throughout the Democratic Party (DP) era (1950-1960). Since the early years of the Republic, efforts to discover and utilize domestic oil resources have been a key priority in line with Turkey's economic independence objectives. With the DP government, a significant transformation took place in this field, marked by new legislative regulations and policies aimed at encouraging foreign capital investments. The DP period is considered a turning point in Turkey's petroleum policy, as it witnessed crucial steps toward increasing domestic production and the establishment of TPAO. The enactment of Law No. 6326 on Petroleum in 1954 led to a comprehensive restructuring of the sector, bringing significant changes to oil exploration, production, and operational activities in Turkey. This law not only provided a more favorable investment environment for foreign investors but also reflected Turkey's efforts to enhance its own oil exploration and production capacity. The establishment of TPAO represents a concrete step in Turkey's ambition to develop a national capacity in the petroleum sector. The institutional activities of TPAO during this period are analyzed in the context of Turkey's broader goal of achieving energy independence. Drawing on both domestic and international sources, this thesis evaluates the impact of DP-era petroleum policies on Turkey's economic development and energy sector. Ultimately, this study aims to contribute to the understanding of how Turkey's petroleum policy was shaped during the DP era and the role of TPAO in this transformation process.