Impacts of Energy Security

Diminishing supply and surplus demand reslts in a reliance on energy imports. Significant increase in the exports of fuels (mainly oil and gas), particularly from the middle east, Africa and the former Soviet Union. Europe, Asia and the Asia-Pacific are now heavily reliant on energy imports. Energy pathways - flows of energy from producer to consumer. The pathways take the form of gas and oil pipelines, the sea routes of tankers carrying oil and gas, and electricity power lines.

Overview

Oil 

The middle east exports around 15,000 barrels of oil per day, mainly to Japan, Europe and China. Substantial amounts flow from Africa, Europe, Canada and South and central America to the USA. Russia supplys some oil to China but most exports now go to Europe.

Gas

Gas pathways tend to be localised and regional rather than global.This is a result of natural gas is traditionally transported through pipelines, whereas oil is mainly shipped.Delivery via pipelines is becoming less dependable for political reasons so it may switch towards shipping gas in tankers as liquified natural gas. One of the most significant gas pathways is the trans-Siberian pipeline, the main conveyer of Russian natural gas exports. The Russian section of this pipeline is operated by the Gazprom corporation, but its monopoly is being challenged by a new pipeline.

CASE STUDY: Europe's gas pipeline war

The EU and Russia are battling over the Nabucco pipeline which is aimed at diversifying Europe's energy imports.The Nabucco pipeline (first planned in 2004) will transport natural gas over 3,000km from the Caspian region to Austria via Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary.Expected to start construction in 2010 to finish in 2013 at a cost of $8 billion.The Nabucco pipeline will be supplied with gas from Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Egypt and Syria.The huge amount of gas delivered will make the EU less dependent on Russian supplies.It is in the EU's interest to diversify its gas imports because of lack of reliability from Russia (who temporarily shut off gas supply to Ukraine in 2006).The Nabucco project has already had problems because of Iran and Syria's policitical instability.

Coal

Coal pathways run from countries as far apart ar Australia and Poland.Far less coal is moved than oil and gas at the moment.Movements of coal are expected to rise because of a more dependable supply and less threatening geopolitical considerations.

Energy Pathways