2.4 - Caucasus (Control Of Energy Pathways)

Question 1

How many pipelines pass through the Caucasus?

Answer 1

• 5
• 4 pipelines run from Siberia to Europe via Ukraine
• 1 pipeline built by BP, from Caspian Sea to Turkish Mediterranean coast (passes through Georgia)

Question 2

What countries form the South Caucasus?

Answer 2

• Georgia
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan

Question 3

What happens when pathways are disrupted?

Answer 3

• recession
• job losses
• energy shortages
• conflict

Question 4

How can physical factors make energy pathways more complex?

Answer 4

• Deep water oil extraction can be difficult
  
  • gets worse the deeper you go
• Environment can be hazardous
  
  • eg. Tundra

Question 5

How can human factors make energy pathways more complex?

Answer 5

• political tensions eg. South China Sea
• conflict
  
  • at source can result in supply of energy ceasing or being inconsistent
  • between source and consumer can result in diversions being necessary or change of source
• piracy may occur due to failure of state eg. Somalia, Yemen
• Embargoes/ sanctions can prevent transfer of oil between nations eg. Iranian oil

Question 6

How can renewables reduce the risk of conflict?

Answer 6

• renewables are present in some form everywhere
  
  • results in conflict over energy being less justified

Question 7

What energy pathways are there?

Answer 7

• pipeline (oil/gas)
• land (coal/uranium)
• shipping (coal/uranium/oil/LPG)
• underground cables (electricity)

Question 8

When did Russia invade North Georgia?

Answer 8

• 2008

Question 9

What is the ethnic factor behind Russia invading Georgia?

Answer 9

• South Ossetia has a population of largely Russian ethnicity
  
  • has at times expressed desire to unite with North Ossetia in Russia

Question 10

What was Russia’s strategic motive for invading North Georgia?

Answer 10

• Russia does not want another NATO and EU state on it’s doorstep
• Russia wants to demonstrate that it is still a superpower after USSR collapse
• 5th pipeline built by BP goes through Georgia rather than Russian territory
  
  • reduces Russian leverage and control over gas and oil supply to Europe
  • Russia has occasionally disrupted gas supplies to Ukraine, demonstrating their ability to do so if required