A ship linked to the Iranian regime’s illicit activities is currently being repurposed to engage in work on a contested Russian-German gas pipeline that has been heavily sanctioned by bipartisan coalitions in Washington, D.C., and is broadly opposed across Europe. The U.S. government has information indicating Russia may attempt to acquire and modify the Oceanic 5000, a crane ship based in Spain’s Canary Islands, for work on the contested Nord Stream 2 pipeline, according to current and former U.S. officials working on the issue. The Oceanic 5000 is known to U.S. officials for helping the Iranian regime build gas pipelines in the Persian Gulf. A senior Trump administration official confirmed the ship’s ties…
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Superfluous and politically lethal. The construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is highly contentious. Two German experts present their different views for The Security Times
By Ralf Fücks February 2018. If we listen to those groups advocating on behalf of Nord Stream 2 – the second double pipeline designed to move Russian natural gas through the Baltic Sea – we might come to think the new project is a highly energy-efficient project and politically quite harmless. According to them, Nord Stream 2 will increase European energy security – after all, the Soviet Union was a reliable provider – and remain a purely commercial project. They argue that the European Commission would do well to stay out of the matter, and should refrain from interfering in Germany’s energy sovereignty. Objection, your Honor! Continue reading the blog…
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Replacing Dutch gas with Russian gas contributes to global warming (and no one seems to care)
Dutch gas production is expected to fall to about 10 bcm in 2025, little over 10 per cent of the 2013 production level. Within the EU, Dutch gas has so far mostly been replaced by Russian gas. However, when compared to Groningen gas, Russian gas has a carbon footprint that is greater by about 30 per cent. For the Netherlands, replacing Dutch gas with Russian gas negates, by far, all the progress that is being made by increasing the share of renewables in the electricity mix. This has hardly played a role in decision making on gas supplies. It should. Continue reading the news article on the Emerging Europe website.
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Nord Stream oder LNG?
In den letzten Monaten wurde plötzlich die Erweiterung der Nord Stream Pipeline durch die Ostsee wieder neu diskutiert. Meist sehr oberflächlich auf dem Niveau Trump gegen Putin. Ist die Sache wirklich so einfach oder geht es um grundlegende Zusammenhänge? Nord Stream Diese Leitung soll jährlich 110 Milliarden Kubikmeter Erdgas aus Rußland unterhalb der Ostsee nach Deutschland transportieren. Dies ist der erste Streitpunkt: Sie umgeht damit die bisherigen Transportwege durch Drittländer. Diese Länder verlieren damit beträchtliche Transitgebühren und Dienstleistungen. Genau das ist ein Ziel der russischen Regierung: Sie will auch weiterhin über den Gashahn ihre Nachbarn disziplinieren können. Unvergessen sind die Liefereinschränkungen in die Ukraine in kalten Wintern. Diese Gefahr besteht…
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Opinion: Europe must retain control of its energy security
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline will drastically increase Russia’s energy leverage over the EU. Such a scenario is dangerous for the bloc and the West as a whole, say the US ambassadors to Germany, Denmark and the EU. Right now, a dozen European countries rely on Russia for more than 75 percent of their natural gas needs. This makes United States allies and partners vulnerable to having their gas shut off at Moscow’s whim. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly proven his willingness to use Russia’s gas supply as a weapon, having blocked the flow of gas to neighbors in 2006, 2009, 2014, and most recently in March of last…
