NATURAL GAS AND GEOPOLITICS: FROM 1970 TO 2040; ED. BY DAVID G. VICTOR

By most estimates, global consumption of natural gas - a cleaner-burning alternative to coal and oil - will double by 2030. However, in North America, Europe, China, and South and East Asia, which are the areas of highest-expected demand, the projected consumption of gas is expected to far outstrip indigenous supplies. Delivering gas from the world's major reserves to the future demand centres will require a major expansion of inter-regional, cross-border gas transport infrastructures. This book investigates the implications of this shift, utilizing historical case studies as well as advanced economic modelling to examine the interplay between economic and political factors in the development of natural gas resources. The contributors aim to shed light on the political challenges which may accompany a shift to a gas-fed world.

Expert analysis of the political challenges which may accompany a shift to a gas-fed world.

Foreign Affairs

The importance of natural gas as an energy source has been growingfor several years, and as the technical and economic difficulties of moving gas over long distances are surmounted, this rise is likely to continue thanks to the environmental benefits and relative abundance of gas. Energy teams at Stanford and the University of Texas have collaborated on this book to examine the past history of international trade in gas -- with illuminating case studies of Algeria, Indonesia, Russia, Turkmenistan, Argentina and Bolivia, Qatar, and Trinidad -- and to explore the future prospects. Peter Hartley and Kenneth Medlock contribute what is effectively a short monograph on a model of the world gas market out to 2040. Broadly speaking, the contributors conclude that the world gas market, thanks to the growth of liquefied natural gas terminals and shipping, will become much more integrated in the coming decades, with long- and even short-term arbitrage among markets, and that because of competing sources of energy, a world gas cartel is not likely to be viable, despite the heavy concentration of proven reserves in Iran, Russia, and a few other countries. However, developing the market will require massive investment, and the willingness of private investors to undertake the necessary risks could be undermined by the political climate for investment in both sending and receiving countries.

"By most estimates, global consumption of natural gas - a cleaner-burning alternative to coal and oil - will double by 2030. However, in North America, Europe, China, and South and East Asia, which are the areas of highest-expected demand, the projected consumption of gas is expected to far outstrip indigenous supplies. Delivering gas from the world's major reserves to the future demand centres will require a major expansion of inter-regional, cross-border gas transport infrastructures. This book investigates the implications of this shift, utilizing historical case studies as well as advanced economic modeling to examine the interplay between economic and political factors in the development of natural gas resources. The contributors aim to shed light on the political challenges which may accompany a shift to a gas-fed world." (http://www.loc.gov/catdir/enhancements/fy0633/2005035314-d.html) Global consumption of natural gas is generally expected to double by 2030. However, in the areas of highest-expected demand, the consumption of gas is expected to far outstrip indigenous supplies. This book explores the political challenges which may accompany a shift to a gas-fed world. By most estimates, global consumption of natural gas will double by 2030. However in North America, Europe, China, and South and East Asia, the projected consumption of gas is expected to far outstrip indigenous supplies. This text investigates the implications of this shift Natural gas is rapidly gaining importance in global energy markets.