Energy Security in the Gulf Challenges and Prospects

Energy is essential to the ongoing process of development in the Arabian Gulf region, both in terms of its direct use and in the allocation of the proceeds from its export. Hence, there is an ever-present need to achieve the maximum level of energy security possible for producers and consumers alike, particularly in light of today’s various geo-strategic developments and escalating economic and security-related challenges. To discuss the issue of energy security in the Arabian Gulf, the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) convened its 15th Annual Energy Conference under the title Energy Security in the Gulf: Challenges and Prospects on November 16-18, 2009 in Abu Dhabi, UAE, hosting a group of distinguished energy experts from various academic, professional and technical backgrounds. This book comprises a collection of the papers presented at the conference, and as such provides a scholarly examination of energy security in a region vital to the global energy industry, yet characterized by instability and conflict. The papers presented in this volume identify energy security challenges in a globalized economy in view of worldwide consumption uncertainties, oil price preferences and the diversification of energy sources. The interplay between oil prices and fiscal sustainability in the Gulf states is examined, as well as the politicization of markets and the relationship between energy resources and regional conflict. Russian and Asian perspectives on energy security are also discussed, as is the role of new technology in achieving energy sustainability for both producers and consumers.