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3rd AFCEA Europe Student Conference ‘People, Projects and Perceptions - even thinking is participation!’ 26 October 2010 The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London, United Kingdom. European Natural Gas Networks Errika Georges The American College of Greece.
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3rd AFCEA Europe Student Conference‘People, Projects and Perceptions - even thinking is participation!’26 October 2010The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London, United Kingdom European Natural Gas Networks Errika Georges The American College of Greece
NATURAL GAS PIPELINES IN PROMOTING ENERGY SECURITY WITHIN THE EU AREA
ENERGY in the EU • Need for energy import dependendency from unstable and insecure regions • Today half of the EU’s gas consumption comes from 3 countries: Russia 40% – Norway 25% - Algeria 30%. • On current trends gas imports would increase to 20 % over the next 25 years Source: EU Green Paper, 2006
NATURAL GAS • Commodity: being more strategically valuable • Need for importing • Natural Gas Pipelines: direct routes for the distribution of it createnetworks that serve DIFFERENT INTERESTS
2 Major Pipeline Projects Nabucco & South Stream U.S. + E.U. Russia Currently a very hot issue Under negotiation for: FINANCE RESOURCES
Russia’s position • Market Economy is extremely dependent on The Exports from Natural Gas by 50% Natural gas reserves are extremely important
Analysis of Networks • Transit Countries (retain sound relationships) • Supply Countries (hard game) What is Russia doing?? Buys natural gas from Turkmenistan & Azerbaijan for 2 reasons:
Strategy Having sufficient reserves inside the country; • Not spending their reserves • Eliminating the reserves of the rival projects(!!)
Greek territory • Geopolitically benefited: WHY? • Pipelines of different interests will cross the country: Part of S. Stream Independent Pipeline I - nterconnectorT -rans- T - urkeyA - driatic G - reeceP -ipeline I – taly (Gr. – Alb. – It.)
Possible alternatives – Strategic Partnerships?? • Strategically important for other reasons also: Seen as an energy hub and interconnector since Algerian liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be crossing Greece to reach Bulgaria.
Thank you for your attention e.georges@acg.edu