BurmaNet News, an online news service that has covered developments in Burma (Myanmar) since 1994 joined a growing list of publications covering issues and stories pioneered by the Journal of Energy Security in April 2012.  The online service reprinted in its entirety Varigonda Kesava Chandra’s article, “The Pipeline That Wasn’t: Myanmar-Bangladesh-India Natural Gas Pipeline” for its readers.  It’s of course interesting to note that energy issues, as far afield as Myanmar, are gaining growing attention in both the mainstream and specialty press.  Not to be outdone, The Australian, whose tag-line is Business with the Wall Street Journal, dedicated its article, “News Flashpoints Add to Energy Concerns,” discussing JES contributions in April from Muhammad Makki , Aditya Malhotra, as well as from Varigonda Chandra.  The Journal is always interested in engaging our colleagues around the world in supporting coverage of the JES’ bread and butter issue of global energy security.   

India and Bangladesh each have formidable challenges in providing adequate supplies of fuel and power to their populations.  In 2005 they jointly agreed in principle to look at the construction of a Myanmar-Bangladesh-India pipeline to provide their consuming publics natural gas from Myanmar.  Concurrent with this the Chinese entered the race for the construction of a Myanmar-China pipeline.  Well, due to what contributor Varigonda Kesava Chandra calls the lack of convergence in their national energy security policies India and Bangladesh have found themselves on the short end of the Myanmar pipeline stick.  

It is often noted that today’s European Union finds its genus in the early frameworks of the European Coal and Steel Community and in the Euratom Treaty concluded to govern the peaceful use of atomic energy.  Over the years there has remained however a push and pull between EU Member States over their own national energy policies and the role that the EU and its institutions play in promoting a common EU energy policy.  Tensions remain today in spite of considerable EU progress in creating a common internal energy market, agreement on the importance of energy efficiency and in the large scale introduction of alternative power in the EU energy mix.  The Lisbon Treaty has in particular played an important role in coalescing EU energy policy which this article explores in detail.

The Institute for the Analysis of Global Security through the Journal of Energy Security has a long history of promoting structured dialogue on key energy issues of interest to the NATO Alliance. Now, the small Baltic state of Lithuania has taken on this mantel of responsibility in its attempt to launch a Lithuanian Energy Security Center as a NATO Center of Excellence. While the process of accreditation is long, Lithuania is pushing forward movement on this process in advance of the NATO Chicago Summit in May 2012. Ambassador Audrius Brūzga, Director of Energy Security Center under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, explains the strategic role that the ESC CEO can play in NATO’s future with the eye towards opening the center in 2013. 

In spite of steps to enhance  the EU’s security of natural gas supply, an underlying weakness in this link is Russia’s inability to provide more gas on demand.  Under-investment in upstream exploration and development, an opaque investment environment, and Russia’s well understood need to serve its own domestic market first were all factors which contributed to a shortage of natural gas on the European market in February 2012.  Analysts have for years been warning of such a scenario taking place, but the February gas-shortage may have been the first time we’ve seen this Russian ground-hog raise its head and then disappear for another six weeks until the weather gets warmer and European demand for natural gas falls. 

In 2011 Brazil overtook the United Kingdom as the world’s sixth largest economy as measured by GDP.  This has been driven in no small part by an ever expanding domestic oil industry.  At a time when global oil markets are expected to remain tight, new supply from Brazil is more than welcome.  And in a stunning observation, contributor Aditya Malhotra points out that over the medium term declines in both Mexican and Venezuelan oil production combined may offset by new Brazilian oil output alone.  To what extent Brazil can and will meet its own, and world expectations in the oil patch remains to be seen,  but at present it clearly seems well on its way to becoming not only a world-class oil player but also South America's dominant naval power with the capability of projecting power where its interests are concerned.  

Over May 20-21 NATO Heads of State and Government will meet for their 25th annual summit in Chicago.  To say that the Alliance’s plate is full is a huge understatement with Afghanistan, missile defense, and the cascading impact of the global financial crisis bearing down on member states. Addressing NATO’s future needs in an age of austerity is filtered through the concept of Smart Defense that encourages Allies to cooperate in developing, acquiring and maintaining military capabilities to meet current security problems in accordance with the new NATO strategic concept.  Where energy and the security of the Alliance is concerned moving forward on introducing ‘smart energy’ is a means to achieving pragmatic and incremental progress on the 'Smart Defense'  front.   

The present risk premium placed on oil is estimated to be 50 cents per barrel attributed to instabilities in Iran. Last year it was Libya, Nigeria, and Venezuela to name a few of the oil world’s vacation destinations. The risk premium anomaly is hard, if not impossible to measure precisely, but the on the ground risks to oil workers, assets, and installations are real and discernible. In post-Gaddafi Libya a number of significant risks remain but more important are the lessons that can be taken away from Libya’s revolution for better risk management by oil companies and their personnel in the future.