When TTIP talks were launched in 2013, Europeans were keen to tap into the United States oil and gas bonanza resulting from the country’s shale revolution to help reduce prices and shake off the continent’s too-heavy reliance on Russian hydrocarbons. But now US shale gas is arrriving in Europe, regardless of TTIP, writes Iana Dreyer, editor of Borderlex, an independent newsletter on EU trade policy. According to Dreyer, national politics in … [Read more...]
On track for a Golden Age of Gas?
The global energy industry must overcome significant new challenges if natural gas development is to achieve the vision of a Golden Age of Gas, writes Geoffrey Styles, Managing Director of independent US-based consultancy GSW Strategy Group. Low energy prices and reduced investment are only half the battle as regulations complexify and organized opposition grows. … [Read more...]
The ill-fated gas strategy of the oil majors
The recent focus of major oil companies on gas (and LNG in particular) may be ill-fated, writes geophysicist Jilles van den Beukel. Gas is systematically less profitable than oil. And the oversupply of LNG (and resulting low prices) is likely to last much longer than the oversupply of oil. … [Read more...]
Nord Stream 2: Trust in Europe
The prospect of building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Russia and Germany is dividing the EU into two camps. By following geopolitical considerations, both sides are neglecting the concept of a liberalized natural gas market and are overlooking Europe’s favorable position in current international gas trade, writes Severin Fischer, Senior Researcher in the Global Security Team at the Center for Security Studies (CCS), ETH ZĂĽrich. … [Read more...]
Russia: a global energy powerhouse that’s much more than a petro-state
Russia is not what you think. Most discussion about its energy influence has focused on oil and gas, particularly gas, and Russia and is routinely described, as a petro-state. But this is only partly accurate, writes Scott L Montgomery, Lecturer at the University of Washington. According to Montgomery, Russia has been building an altogether new kind of energy state, one with more global influence than even OPEC. This has profound implications for … [Read more...]
Can Nord Stream 2 be stopped?
Nord Stream 2, the controversial Russian-German pipeline project, is generating fierce opposition in Central and Eastern Europe as well as from the European Parliament and the European Commission. But could the opponents of the pipeline, owned 50% by Gazprom and 50% by some of the largest Western European companies, stop the project? They may be able to follow a complex legal route that could place formidable obstacles in the way of the pipeline. … [Read more...]
Injecting energy into the agenda of trade negotiators
Barriers to trade and investment in energy goods and services, long neglected, are starting to  be addressed by trade negotiators in the World Trade Organisation and outside of it. The process of integrating the energy dimension to trade policy is however still in its infancy. An upcoming report from the World Energy Council aims to offer trade officials a policy agenda. Iana Dreyer, editor of Borderlex.eu, a newsletter specialised in EU trade … [Read more...]
The hypocrisy of French shale gas policy: France bans, imports and profits from shale
France has issued a radical ban on the exploitation of shale gas. Yet French companies ENGIE, in which the State has a large share, and EDF, which is 75% state-owned, will soon import and handsomely profit from shale gas imported from the United States, notes UK-based shale gas expert Nick Grealy. This is like banning sweatshops but importing cheap clothes made by child labour, says Grealy. … [Read more...]
European dash for gas at odds with climate ambitions
European energy and European climate policies, although often portrayed as being two sides of the same coin, are still not sufficiently harmonised, writes Stefan Bößner, Research Fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute. The EU’s new LNG and gas storage strategy serves as a prime  example where EU energy security concerns work against climate protection efforts. The strategy is likely to lead to costly investments into infrastructure which … [Read more...]
viEUws video: Brussels Briefing on Energy for February 2016
In this latest Brussels Briefing on Energy, journalist Hughes Belin introduces the European Commission's "winter package" on energy security. This is the first real test of the European Energy Union. He describes two sensitive legislative proposals to give the Commission more scrutiny powers over intergovernmental agreements on energy and to improve gas security of supply through more reverse flows, a regional approach and a new solidarity … [Read more...]
EU insists energy security is about more than gas
“When it comes to energy security in the long term, there is no better antidote than focusing on sustainable energy,” said EU Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete at the launch of a new EU energy security master plan in Brussels on 16 February. The Commission defended its proposals – which focus on safeguarding gas supplies – as an aid to moving Europe along to a low-carbon economy as well as preparing it for possible supply … [Read more...]
Report warns: LNG may lose out to renewables
A new report by economists at The Brattle Group finds that the financial viability of LNG projects is increasingly being threatened by competition from renewable power sources, especially in Asia. They warn that “this  increasing competition has significant ramifications for the many LNG export projects now in development across North America and for buyers of LNG that have signed long-term contracts”. … [Read more...]
EU takes on gas in first battle for European Energy Union
The European Commission is heading for a full-on confrontation with Member States with a new set of proposals on gas security of supply: Â a fresh attempt by Brussels to impose a truly European policy. According to leaked drafts obtained by Energy Post, the Commission will demand more oversight on gas deals with foreign countries and suppliers, and look to replace national gas policies with regional ones. There will also be a first-ever LNG and … [Read more...]
viEUws VIDEO: Top 5 EU energy priorities for next 6 months
In this special briefing, energy journalist Hughes Belin picks out the top 5 energy issues that will be discussed by the European institutions in the next six months, under the Dutch EU Presidency. 1. Gas supply: In February, the Commission is due to launch a review of the regulation on security of gas supply and of its sister regulation on security of electricity supply. The Commission will also review the EU’s information exchange mechanism … [Read more...]
Gas galore – Europe to become “dumping” market for global gas supplies
From Australia to the US, from the Middle East to the Mediterranean, new projects are being planned to bring natural gas to the European market. This supports the EU’s goal to create a competitive integrated European gas market. But will there be enough demand for all that gas, Energy Post’s editor-in-chief Karel Beckman wonders? And what role do our policymakers want gas to play in the low-carbon economy? … [Read more...]
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