Energy Markets, Pipeline Geopolitics and the “Pipeline War” Narrative
Alaa Alkhatib – 20/06/2018
Natural gas, pipelines and the Syrian war have long been linked in popular geopolitical narratives. But how much of this connection is supported by energy-market realities?
This study examines one of the most persistent explanations of the Syrian conflict: the claim that international involvement in Syria was fundamentally driven by competition over natural gas resources and rival pipeline projects connecting the Gulf and Iran to European markets.
Using an energy-systems approach, the study evaluates these claims through the structure of global and European gas markets, EU energy security and diversification strategies, pipeline economics, LNG infrastructure, regional gas reserves and the technical and economic feasibility of proposed transit routes through Syria.
Rather than treating energy as irrelevant to geopolitics, the analysis distinguishes between the genuine strategic importance of natural gas and the much broader claim that competing pipeline projects can explain the origins and internationalization of the Syrian conflict.
The study combines energy-system analysis, economics and geopolitical assessment to test the “pipeline war” narrative against market data and infrastructure realities.
Study details
Author: Alaa Alkhatib
Published: June 2018
Field: Energy Geopolitics · Natural Gas · Energy Security · Syria
Format: PDF · 27 pages
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