Russia scores points in the Great Game

Post by **Vympel** » 2007-12-21 07:20am

Russian gas deal dashes EU hopes

Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have signed a landmark deal to build a gas pipeline.

The pipeline will strengthen Moscow's control over Central Asian energy export routes, analysts said.

It also deals a blow to European Union hopes of securing alternative routes that would bypass Russia.

The pipeline will skirt the Caspian Sea from Turkmenistan to southern Russia via Kazakhstan and will be built by the end of 2010.

The trilateral agreement was signed in Moscow in the presence of President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan.

EU disappointment

The agreement will likely disappoint the US and the EU, which have been lobbying for a rival pipeline to be built under the Caspian Sea, analysts said.

They had hoped to pipe Turkmen gas across the Caspian Sea via Turkey, in order to reduce the EU's dependence on Russian-controlled energy.

The EU relies on Russia for about a quarter of its gas consumption.

Prospects for pipelines under the Caspian have been clouded by high costs, environmental concerns and disputes over ownership of the sea resources.

"This is a very important agreement for the energy industries of our countries as well as for Europe's energy," President Putin told reporters.

The deal follows a preliminary agreement reached in May.

The pipeline will export 20 billion cubic metres of gas a year - enough to cover the demand of a country such as France for almost half a year.

Other countries are also seeking access to the resource-rich region and work has begun on building another gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China.

CJvR · Post by **CJvR** » 2007-12-21 08:24am

Well if the EU want to get rid of Russian gas all they have to do is hang the greens and go for nuklear power. Sniveling about a selfinflicted mess is pathetic.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-12-21 01:19pm

If, of course, we could build nuclear fast enough and didn't bankrupt ourselves in the process with the financial crises looming and booming uranium prices. The "alternative energy" market doesn't help either with the greenies against anything that isn't wind or solar.

I'm thinking they'll have to look on this wealth fondly in the not-too-distant future when they start running out of NG thanks to shitty investment and Russian gas experts being total n00bs. If it wasn't for the likes of BP, they'd still be enjoying the sour grapes of the Cold War, with cold being the literal operative word.

Gazprom sure as hell needs to buck up if it wants to meet demand.

Dartzap · Post by **Dartzap** » 2007-12-21 01:34pm

Bah, all we get in the Great Game is some minor thing about an art display. How boring.

Not that I'd want it to be exciting... The TimeWatch episode "150 years Of The Great Game" between the UK and Russia was quite interesting, if slightly disturbing, heh. (Stalin getting punched in the face by an angry London dockworker - priceless)

Post by **K. A. Pital** » 2007-12-21 01:48pm

I'm thinking they'll have to look on this wealth fondly in the not-too-distant future when they start running out of NG thanks to shitty investment and Russian gas experts being total n00bs.

You mean due to Peak Gas. Which isn't far behind after Peak Oil. The oil and gas exploit rate has actually went down from Soviet times, but it's still too great - the energy will become too expensive for our own internal consumption in a very short order.

Every oil price boom now is coming with a corresponding consumer good and food inflation...

Ubiquitous · Post by **Ubiquitous** » 2007-12-21 03:19pm

I thought the Great Game was Russian and British intelligence faceoffs, usually in the early 20th Century, in the Indian subcontinent? I wanted a thread about spies not pipe lines!

Androsphinx · Post by **Androsphinx** » 2007-12-22 05:59pm

Ubiquitous wrote:I thought the Great Game was Russian and British intelligence faceoffs, usually in the early 20th Century, in the Indian subcontinent? I wanted a thread about spies not pipe lines!

There's a reason why it's called the Great Game. Too much "Kim", methinks.

J · Post by J » 2007-12-22 06:26pm

Ubiquitous wrote:I thought the Great Game was Russian and British intelligence faceoffs, usually in the early 20th Century, in the Indian subcontinent? I wanted a thread about spies not pipe lines!

This is the The Great Game: Part II, which is the rush by every world power to lock up as many energy resources & supplies as they can for their own use. Particular areas of interest include the Caspian Sea region along with the west coast of Africa, and of course the pipelines through various countries to bring the oil & gas to the consumers.

Korto · Post by **Korto** » 2007-12-22 07:37pm

Snuggly Babe wrote:This is the The Great Game: Part II, which is the rush by every world power to lock up as many energy resources & supplies as they can for their own use.

What amuses me is the huge advantage handed to China (and Russia), who: A) Isn't the West, and B) Can promise to not only not put any pressure on unpopular countries (Iran, Nigeria, etc) to change, but also protect them from the West with their Veto.

Oh, and Hi everybody.
I would have a few thoughts to say about Peak Oil, if I could find a thread where it wouldn't be necromancy

Korto · Post by **Korto** » 2007-12-22 07:42pm

[quote="Korto"][quote="Snuggly Babe"]

God, Sorry. You're "J".
Sorry

aerius · Post by **aerius** » 2007-12-22 09:56pm

Korto wrote:Oh, and Hi everybody.
I would have a few thoughts to say about Peak Oil, if I could find a thread where it wouldn't be necromancy

Shouldn't take too long, Peak Oil threads tend to pop up every week or two around here. Lots of fun stuff going on these in the world of oil.

God, Sorry. You're "J".
Sorry

And she's a very snuggly babe indeed.

The Grim Squeaker · Post by **The Grim Squeaker** » 2007-12-23 12:02am

Korto wrote:
Snuggly Babe wrote:This is the The Great Game: Part II, which is the rush by every world power to lock up as many energy resources & supplies as they can for their own use.
What amuses me is the huge advantage handed to China (and Russia), who: A) Isn't the West, and B) Can promise to not only not put any pressure on unpopular countries (Iran, Nigeria, etc) to change, but also protect them from the West with their Veto.

If I had to guess, I'd say we'll see the West benevolence and democratic ideals fase as it's power fades.
Democracy has been shown quite often to be a "luxury" product of rich nations, but nations tend to emulate dominant nations/culture |(Such as the US up till now). (And the West [individual rights, {economic} freedoms] is not synonomous with democracy necessarily)

If the US suffers a massive recession, and the Chinese are giving you all your jobs, and made you strong enough to "clear out" those damn jangaweed over the hill, I'd start paying attention to their government style, wouldn't you? And surely, there's something in their style of governance and ancient, millenia old "perfectly civilized" chinese/indian culture that let them gain so much power, and they won't stop growing!
/perspective of a small country

Oh, and Hi everybody.

Welcome to a pit of foul villany and weirdo's

.

I would have a few thoughts to say about Peak Oil, if I could find a thread where it wouldn't be necromancy

I wouldn't worry about the lack of threads about that, especially since it's set up to trundle on behind schedule

.

J · Post by J » 2007-12-23 11:44am

aerius wrote:
Korto wrote:Oh, and Hi everybody.
I would have a few thoughts to say about Peak Oil, if I could find a thread where it wouldn't be necromancy
Shouldn't take too long, Peak Oil threads tend to pop up every week or two around here. Lots of fun stuff going on these in the world of oil.

It seems you've missed the latest memo. There is no Peak Oil.
The amazing powers of the Free Market have saved us all.