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U.S vs. Russia Oil Production War

U.S vs. Russia Oil Production War

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U.S vs. Russia Oil Production War

The rivalry of U.S. and Russia has been documented over the years. Despite the end of

the World War II and the subsequent Cold War, the supremacy battle between these giants has

failed to end. The rivalry between U.S. and Russia has, in a civilised society, been directed

towards technological advancement, resource control and political influence. Being the

traditional foes that they are, one would expect the U.S. and Russia to fight over one vital

resource; petroleum. While both countries produce a vast quantity of this product and natural

gas, they still get to confront each other over certain petroleum product related issues. Oil has

been the Holy Grail; whoever has more oil, commands more control than the rest. Given the

scarcity and relevance of oil and gas to all economies, a new rivalry has been reborn between

these two greats. Energy diplomacy has subsequently become a tool of policy making and

propaganda used by the two.

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The use of natural gas and oil has cast into doubt the longevity of this rivalry given the

non-renewable and depleting nature of these resources. All the talk about “peak oil” threw into

disarray the future of gas and oil. This implies that the oil production will reach its height and

will be followed by irreversible fall in the reserves. According to Klare, the discovery of

unconventional fuels such as shale oil helped solve the problem. The excitement about shale gas

should not be over relied on since it is exaggerated. A study by the International Energy Agency

revealed that exploring these alternative fuels will only delay peak oil. These are factors that the

U.S., Russia, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are considering in the energy decisions they make.

Russia has held the mantle for the largest oil and gas producer for a long time. Given its

expansive nature, before and after the fall of the Soviet Union, it is justified to have such

endowment. The U.S. has, however, seen a steady increase in its own production. BP reported

that the country experienced a record 8.9 million oil barrels per day (Kirka). With its

revolutionary shale oil boom, U.S. could leapfrog Russia in its 2014 production (Zhdannikov).

There is no doubt that the U.S. has tried to make plans on how it can use its new position to stifle

the power of Russia.

Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Belarus and Moldovans share more than the mere fact that

they are post-soviet states. All these countries have faced threat of hostile/unfriendly treatment

from Russia. The fact that Russia controls oil and gas supply to this country has given it leverage

to treat these countries in a way that they please. Presently, Crimea and Ukraine have been in the

receiving end. Unless they continue to be allied to Russia and abandon their plans to associate

actively with the European Union (EU), oil and natural gas supply will be cut from them

(Surowiecki).

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Name Institution Instructor Date U.S vs. Russia Oil Production War The rivalry of U.S. and Russia has been documented over the years. Despite the end of the World War II and the subsequent Cold War, the supremacy battle between these giants has failed to end. The rivalry between U.S. and Russia has, in a civilised society, been directed towards technological advancement, resource control and political influence. Being the traditional foes that they are, one would expect the U.S. and Russia to fight over one vital resource; petroleum. While both countries produce a vast quantity of this product and natural gas, they still get to confront each other over certain petroleum product related issues. Oil has been the Holy Grail; whoever has more oil, commands more control than the rest. Given the scarcity and relevance of oil and gas to all economies, a new rivalry has been reborn between these two greats. Energy diplomacy has subsequently become a tool of policy making and propaganda used by the two. The use of natural gas and oil has cast into doubt the longevity of this rivalry given the non-renewable and depleting nature of these resources. All the talk about "peak oil" threw into disarray the future of gas and oil. This implies that the oil production will reach its height and will be followed by irreversible fall in the reserves. According to Klare, the discovery of unconventional fuels such as shale oil helped solve the problem. The excitement about shale gas should not ...
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