Belarus: Oil, Gas, Transit Pipelines and Russian Foreign Energy Policy

Belarus: Oil, Gas, Transit Pipelines and Russian Foreign Energy Policy
Author: Margarita M. Balmaceda
Publisher: GMB Publishing Ltd
Total Pages: 58
Release: 2006
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1905050836

Belarus relies on Russia for about 85% of its total energy needs, while Russia needs Belarus' oil and gas pipelines to export its supplies to Western Europe. How will energy exports from Russia and Belarus' transit capabilities impact Western Europe if this interdependent relationship ends, either through political changes in Belarus or if Russia ends its energy subsidies to Belarus? This report looks at transit, infrastructure and investment issues and analyzes both the state of the current infrastructure, as well as the possibilities this transit opens to Western investors, particularly as the Yamal Pipeline nears completion. In addition, it looks at the current conflict between Belarus and Russian investors for control of the country's gas transit system and oil refineries. This series of reports establishes for the first time the confluence of Russian foreign policy with the acquisition of foreign energy assets by Russian entities. Nine specific country profiles focus on the oil, gas, electricity and nuclear power industries. Each report written by an author of international standing, explains how Russian foreign energy downstream mergers and acquisitions are transpiring to consolidate the new Russian empire.

Belarus

Belarus
Author: Margarita Mercedes Balmaceda
Publisher: GMB Publishing, Limited
Total Pages: 49
Release: 2006-01-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9781905050345

Annotation This series of reports establishes for the first time the confluence of Russian foreign policy with the acquisition of foreign energy assets by Russian entities.The country profiles focus on the oil, gas, electricity and nuclear power industries. Each report, written by an author of international standing, explains how Russian foreign energy mergers and acquisitions have developed in key post-Soviet states to consolidate the new Russian empire.The Contributors are leading authorities on Russian hydrocarbons and critical energy infrastructure protection

Russian Energy Chains

Russian Energy Chains
Author: Margarita M. Balmaceda
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 421
Release: 2021-05-11
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 023155219X

Russia’s use of its vast energy resources for leverage against post-Soviet states such as Ukraine is widely recognized as a threat. Yet we cannot understand this danger without also understanding the opportunity that Russian energy represents. From corruption-related profits to transportation-fee income to subsidized prices, many within these states have benefited by participating in Russian energy exports. To understand Russian energy power in the region, it is necessary to look at the entire value chain—including production, processing, transportation, and marketing—and at the full spectrum of domestic and external actors involved, from Gazprom to regional oligarchs to European Union regulators. This book follows Russia’s three largest fossil-fuel exports—natural gas, oil, and coal—from production in Siberia through transportation via Ukraine to final use in Germany in order to understand the tension between energy as threat and as opportunity. Margarita M. Balmaceda reveals how this dynamic has been a key driver of political development in post-Soviet states in the period between independence in 1991 and Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. She analyzes how the physical characteristics of different types of energy, by shaping how they can be transported, distributed, and even stolen, affect how each is used—not only technically but also politically. Both a geopolitical travelogue of the journey of three fossil fuels across continents and an incisive analysis of technology’s role in fossil-fuel politics and economics, this book offers new ways of thinking about energy in Eurasia and beyond.

Russia's Energy Policies

Russia's Energy Policies
Author: Pami Aalto
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2012-01-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1781001200

'Russia is an increasingly important player in global energy markets, yet its policies are under-researched and little understood. This collection represents an important and sophisticated contribution to the debate. While much of the commentary on Russian energy consists of generalizations about Russia's political strategy, this work lifts the lid and looks inside the process through which Russian energy policies are designed and implemented. It brings together essays by top specialists in the field, and makes a conscious effort to integrate the various disciplines of politics, economics and geography by developing a model of the "cognitive frames" through which the policy process is shaped. It addresses both domestic and international dimensions of the problem, and gives equal weight to traditional customers in Europe and new markets in Asia.' Peter Rutland, Wesleyan University, US 'The book explains Russian energy policies, instead of a policy. It portrays a picture with multiple policy drivers, including institutional, regional and federal, environmental and commercial. The study markedly improves our understanding of the multifaceted nature of Russian energy policy, a topical and complex issue. This is a highly commendable book that should be included in the reading lists of anyone with an interest in the role of energy in Russia's political economy or energy matters more generally.' Kim Talus, University College London, Australia Russia's vast energy reserves, and its policies towards them have enormous importance in the current geopolitical landscape. This important book examines Russia's energy policies on the national, interregional and global level. It pays particular attention to energy policy actors ranging from state, federal and regional actors, to energy companies and international financial actors and organizations. The book models the formation of Russia's energy policies in terms of how energy policy actors perceive and map their policy environment. The case studies cover federal, regional and environmental aspects of Russian energy policy, Russia's energy relations with Europe and the CIS, North East Asia, the globalization of Russian oil companies and the political economy of Russian energy. It is found that there are several concurrent energy policies in contemporary Russia, and that this situation is likely to continue. These policies are conducted primarily from the business frame perspective while notions of energy superpower Russia are found more ambiguous. Russia's Energy Policies will benefit advanced master's level students, doctoral students, researchers, policy-makers and practitioners. The book will be a great resource for advanced international relations, political economy, international business and globalisation courses alongside energy policy courses, as well as area studies courses on Russian, post-Soviet and European politics and environmental politics.

Ukraine: Post-Revolution Energy Policy and Relations with Russia

Ukraine: Post-Revolution Energy Policy and Relations with Russia
Author: Olena Viter
Publisher: GMB Publishing Ltd
Total Pages: 62
Release: 2006
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1905050771

This report looks at how the new Ukrainian government plans to decrease Russian influence over Ukraineâs energy sector. President Viktor Yushchenko has declared goals which include the diversification of oil and gas supply sources, the reform of the domestic market, and the creation of a strategic oil stock. Ukraineâs search for more partners in the energy sphere has affected the relationship between Ukraine and Russia. From a âbrotherlyâ relationship to one of pragmatic interest, dialogue between the two countries has lessened. And despite various difficulties, the Ukrainian government is working to decrease Russian influence over Ukraineâs energy sector. This series of reports establishes for the first time the confluence of Russian foreign policy with the acquisition of foreign energy assets by Russian entities. Nine specific country profiles focus on the oil, gas, electricity and nuclear power industries. Each report written by an author of international standing, explains how Russian foreign energy downstream mergers and acquisitions are transpiring to consolidate the new Russian empire.

Old Borders - New Challenges, New Borders - Old Challenges

Old Borders - New Challenges, New Borders - Old Challenges
Author: Jaroslaw Janczak
Publisher: Logos Verlag Berlin GmbH
Total Pages: 159
Release: 2019-06-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3832548750

The aim of this publication is to reflect, conceptually and empirically, on border processes in Europe, paying special attention to the most current border-related developments, with a special focus on the processes of de-bordering and re-bordering. As the authors represent different academic centers and specializations, the volume reflects not only diverse perspectives but also has an interdisciplinary character. The book contains eight contributions and is divided into three thematic parts. The first set of chapters analyzes the borders and borderlands of the European Union, especially in the context of the ongoing changes observed in its direct neighborhood. The next group of articles deals with the regional level of border-related processes within the European Union. Finally, the last group of texts investigates border processes at the local level, analyzing border urban structures.

Russia’s Foreign Energy Policy

Russia’s Foreign Energy Policy
Author: Kenan Aslanli
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 363
Release: 2023-08-31
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1000937895

This book examines Russia’s multidimensional foreign energy policy and the emerging and ongoing conflicts with energy-consuming and transit countries. Russia’s Foreign Energy Policy examines whether the interdependence patterns shaped through various channels (such as foreign trade, investment, finance, technology, and social interactions) between Russia and energy-importing countries could prevent energy-based conflict. Drawing on semi-structured expert interviews, Kenan Aslanli challenges the one-sided conventional wisdom that focusses on foreign policy ambitions and overlooks the peculiarities of the energy dimension. Instead, Aslanli highlights the complexity of contemporary energy affairs using a holistic approach that goes beyond geopolitics. He examines various energy types such as crude oil, natural gas, and nuclear and considers a diverse range of actors which include energy companies and international organizations. Using examples from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, Aslanli demonstrates how the Russian strategy of using energy resources as a tool or energy weapon for foreign policy goals has a diminishing return in the long run. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of energy policy, foreign policy, and Russian studies more broadly.

Energy Dependency, Politics and Corruption in the Former Soviet Union

Energy Dependency, Politics and Corruption in the Former Soviet Union
Author: Margarita M. Balmaceda
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 258
Release: 2007-12-06
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1134072694

Energy has become a major element to Russia's attempts, under Putin, to restore its influence over former Soviet territories and reaffirm itself as the dominant regional power. This book investigates how Russia has manipulated the energy of its neighbours on Russian energy supplies to achieve its foreign policy goals, focusing in particular on relations with Ukraine. This book, based on a multitude of primary Ukrainian and Russian primary sources until now not brought to the attention of Western readers, examines important events such as Russia's January 2006 suspension of gas supplies to Ukraine, and the implications for Ukraine's 'Orange Revolution', other post-Soviet states and Western Europe. However, it goes further in showing how domestic political conditions in non-Russian states may facilitate Russia's use of energy as a foreign policy weapon, investigating the local groups that often receive significant profits from allowing Russia to control energy markets and energy transit possibilities. With European countries becoming more dependent upon Russian energy, this book will be of interest not only to Russian Studies and Eastern European Studies experts, but to scholars of international relations and European politics.

Not by Bread Alone

Not by Bread Alone
Author: Robert Nalbandov
Publisher: U of Nebraska Press
Total Pages: 660
Release: 2016
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1612347983

Since its independence in 1991, Russia has struggled with the growing pains of defining its role in international politics. After Vladimir Putin ascended to power in 2000, the country undertook grandiose foreign policy projects in an attempt to delineate its place among the world's superpowers. With this in mind, Robert Nalbandov examines the milestones of Russia's international relations since the turn of the twenty-first century. He focuses on the specific goals, engagement practices, and tools used by Putin's administration to promote Russia's vital national and strategic interests in specific geographic locations. His findings illuminate Putin's foreign policy objective of reinstituting Russian global strategic dominance. Nalbandov argues that identity-based politics have dominated Putin's tenure and that Russia's east/west split is reflected in Asian-European politics. Nalbandov's analysis shows that unchecked domestic power, an almost exclusive application of hard power, and determined ambition for unabridged global influence and a defined place as a world superpower are the keys to Putin's Russia.

Transit Troubles

Transit Troubles
Author: Paul Stevens
Publisher: Chatham House Publishers
Total Pages: 44
Release: 2009
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN:

Any reading of the history of transit oil and gas pipelines suggests a tendency to produce conflict and disagreement, often resulting in the cessation of throughput, sometimes for a short period and sometimes for longer. It is tempting to attribute this to bad political relations between neighbours. This is certainly part of the story, but also important is the nature of the 'transit terms'--tariffs and offtake terms--whereby transit countries are rewarded for allowing transit. Put simply, the trouble with transit pipelines has a significant economic basis. This report addresses three key questions: Why will oil and gas transit pipelines become more important to global energy markets in the future? Why has the history of such pipelines been littered with conflict between the various parties? What might be done to improve this record in the future and make transit pipelines less troublesome?--Publisher description.