6.4

Question 1

Define Energy Pathway

Answer 1

The flow of energy between a producer and a consumer and how it reaches the consumer e.g. pipeline, transmission lines, ship-rail etc

Question 2

What are the roles of TNC’s in Energy Pathways

Answer 2

• TNC’s explore, exploit and distribute energy resources
• They own supply lines and invest in distribution and processing of raw materials as well as electricity production and transmission
• They respond to market conditions in order to secure profits for their shareholders

Question 3

What are some examples of TNC energy players

Answer 3

Aromco - Sadui Arabia
Gazprom - Russia
Exxom Mobil - USA

Question 4

What is OPEC

Answer 4

Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries:

• It is an intergovernmental, permanent organisation
• All members are oil producing and exporting countries who’s main export is oil and is therefore vital to their economy

Question 5

What are the roles for OPEC

Answer 5

-Control 81% of the worlds proven oil resources
-Coordinate and unify petroleum policies its members to ensure stabilisation of oil markets to secure:
–an efficient, economic and regular supply of petroleum to consumers
–A steady income for producers
–A fair return for those investing the industry
Examples:
-In the past, OPEC has set oil production quotas to satisfy the economic need e.g. banking supplies when demand rose and reducing them when demand fell
-During 2012-16 the high supply kept oil prices low. Possibly done to compete with USA’s increased oil production from fracking which caused a global collapse in oil prices

Question 6

What are the role of national governments in energy pathways

Answer 6

Meet international obligations whilst securing energy supplies for the nations present and future population and economic growth

Question 7

list main point for the “explain why energy pathways are essential in maintaining the worlds supply of energy”

Answer 7

• There is a mismatch between the locations of supplies and the end users
• Energy pathways are the ways in which energy is delivered to the user e.g. electrical cables, oil and gas pipes, road and rail, ships, oil tankers
• Some country may have a few domestic supplies of energy, therefore countries depend on imports
• Some countries have vast reserves in remote places e.g. Alaska
• Some countries have abundant supplies (5 pipelines in Russia)
• Some countries level of development is a barrier to being able to exploit their own supplies e.g. Angola and Niger (uranium)

Question 8

List main points for “Suggest why energy pathways (e.g. pipelines, shipping routes etc) may be prone to disruptions”

Answer 8

Advice + Guidance: reasoned explanation, justifying reasons, political, military, conflict, piracy, extreme weather, policies to control supply, realise significance of choke points

1) Political conflicts such as terrorism can disrupt energy pathways. For example the Trans Forcados pipeline was bombed in 2016 by militants resulting in the loss of 300,000 tonnes of crude oil a day
2) Extreme weather conditions can also be a major disruption to energy pathways and may also be detrimental to a nations energy supply. In 2013 during an extreme storm in the UK, a gas pipeline was paralysed which caused UK gas supplies to fall to only 6h worth