April 2012 Issue

The Pipeline That Wasn't: Myanmar-Bangladesh-India Natural Gas Pipeline

Thursday, 19 April 2012 00:00 Varigonda Kesava Chandra

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.

From Contradiction to Cooperation: A New Legal and Diplomatic Foundation for Energy Policy in the EU

Thursday, 19 April 2012 00:00 Dr. Frank Groome

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.

NATO Center of Excellence to be Opened in Lithuania

Thursday, 19 April 2012 00:00 Ambassador Audrius Brūzga

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.

February Cold Wave Snaps EU Russia Gas Relations

Thursday, 19 April 2012 00:00 Katerina Oskarsson

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.

Brazil's Oil Future: The New (Big) Kid on the Block

Thursday, 19 April 2012 00:00 Aditya Malhotra

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.

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