DIVERSIFICATION OF GAS SUPPLIES AS A CORNERSTONE OF GAS SECURITY IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE THREE SEAS INITIATIVE
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
Abstract
The article overviews approaches to the diversification of gas supplies in the framework of the Three Seas Initiative. The modern geopolitical situation in Eastern and Central Europe is characterized by transformation processes in the energy sector. Due to the implementation of decarbonization policy in the European Union and subsequent shift from coal as a main energy source, a need in alternative fuel sources, such as natural gas, emerges. Therefore, a significant increase in natural gas consumption is expected, which raises a number of issues, such as dependence on a single gas supplier and orientation of the EU’s gas transmission system in East-West direction only. This issue is crucial for Eastern and Central European states, due to the underdeveloped gas infrastructure in the region and heavy dependence on a single gas supplier, such as Russia or Turkey. Hence, the Three Seas Initiative is considered as a powerful tool, designed to develop energy, transport and digital infrastructure of the region in the North-South direction, where one of the most potentially promising projects within the framework of the Three Seas Initiative is represented by the development of gas infrastructure, aimed at solving the diversification of supplies in the gas market in Eastern and Central Europe. The implementation of developed gas infrastructure and diversification of gas supplies consists of several regional projects that are relevant for those countries in the region in which they are implemented in particular and for all member states of the Three Seas Initiative in general. The main purpose of the implementation of these projects is the creation of a unified natural gas transportation infrastructure in Eastern Europe along the North-South axis. The result of such a grand reorganization in the field of gas supplies to Europe will be an increase in the number of independent suppliers in the European gas market and a decrease in the dependence of the EU countries on gas supplies from Russia. In the article, the author traced in detail the tendency of the formation of energy infrastructure along the North-South axis with focus on the projects that are being implemented by each of the participating countries within the framework of the Three Seas Initiative. This approach allows to assess the scale and integrity of the gas transportation infrastructure, that is being created in the Eastern Europe region and its contribution to the common European energy security policy.
How to Cite
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
Three Seas Initiative, North-South axis, diversification, gas transportation system, energy security
Amber Grid (2020). Gas interconnection Poland-Lithuania (GIPL). Available at: https://www.ambergrid.lt/en/projects/gas-interconnection-poland-lithuania-gipl (accessed 25 January 2021).
BEMIP Gas Regional Investment Plan 2012-2021 (2012). European network of transmission system operators for gas.
CEENERGYNEWS (2020). GIPL Pipeline to be completed in 2021 as planned. Available at: https://ceenergynews.com/oil-gas/gipl-pipeline-to-be-completed-in-2021-as-planned/ (accessed 26 January 2021).
Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/389 of 31 October 2019, amending Regulation (EU) No 347/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the Union list of projects of common interest (2020). Official Journal of the European Union, Volume 63, 11 March 2020, pp. 1-20. Available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L:2020:074:TOC (accessed 25 January 2021).
Conexus Baltic Grid (2019). The gas TSOs of Finland, Estonia and Latvia have reached an agreement on inter-TSO compensation system. Available at: https://www.conexus.lv/press-releases/somijas-igaunijas-un-latvijas-pso-panakusi-jaunu-brivpratigu-vienosanos-par-gazes-parvadu-kompensaciju-sistemu (accessed 25 January 2021).
Diallo A., Dézsi B., Denková A., Jakóbik W., Jordanova A., Kácsor E., Madleňák T., Misik M., Moskwik K., Oravcova V., Roszkowski M., Szabó L., Takácsné Tóth B., Törőcsik A. (2018). ‘Beyond gas’ – energy security issues in the V4 after 2020. Final Synthesis Report. Available at: https://www.amo.cz/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/V4-Beyond-Gas-Beyond-2020-Final-Synthesis-Report.pdf (accessed 25 January 2021).
Energia Naturalis (2020). The port of Ploče. Available at: https://www.enna.hr/en/the-port-of-ploce-t3 (accessed Jan 28 2021).
FGSZ (2020). HUSIIT project. Available at: https://fgsz.hu/en/about-fgsz/activities-business-policy/international-projects/husit (accessed 27 January 2021).
GlobeNewswire (2019). Amber Grid signed the GIPL gas pipeline works contract. Available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/12/23/1964126/0/en/Amber-Grid-signed-the-GIPL-gas-pipeline-works-contract.html (accessed 26 January 2021).
Greenport (2018). Estonia assesses LNG terminal possibility. Available at: https://www.greenport.com/news101/lng/estonia-assesses-lng-terminal-possibility (accessed 25 January 2021).
Invest in Estonia (2016). EU invests 187,5 million euro in first gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland. Available at: https://investinestonia.com/eu-invests-187-5-million-euro-in-first-gas-pipeline-between-estonia-and-finland/ (accessed 26 January 2021).
Joint Declaration of the Third Summit of the Three Seas Initiative (2018). Available at: http://three-seas.eu/press-releases (accessed 25 January 2021).
LNG Croatia (2019). LNG terminal on the island of Krk. Status and project update. Available at: https://budapestlngsummit.hu/2019/download/Barbara-Doric_LNG-Croatia.pdf (accessed January 28 2021).
Maćešić M., Manovelo I. (2016). Croatia hosts forum on Three Seas Initiative to strengthen north-south corridor. International Law Office. Available at: https://www.internationallawoffice.com/Newsletters/Energy-Natural-Resources/Croatia/Macesic-Partners/Croatia-hosts-forum-on-Three-Seas-Initiative-to-strengthen-north-south-corridor (accessed 25 January 2021).
Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania (2020). Halfway almost reached in the implementation of the GIPL project which will connect the Baltic region and Europe. Available at: https://enmin.lrv.lt/en/news/halfway-almost-reached-in-the-implementation-of-the-gipl-project-which-will-connect-the-baltic-region-and-europe (accessed 26 January 2021).
Mišík Matúš, Nosko Andrej (2017). The Eastring gas pipeline in the context of the Central and Eastern European gas supply challenge. Nature Energy Issue 2, pp. 844-848. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-017-0019-6 (accessed 27 January 2021).
Morgan Sam (2017). Central-Eastern European pipeline gets go-ahead. Euractive.com. Available at: https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy/news/central-eastern-european-pipeline-gets-go-ahead/ (accessed 26 January 2021).
Plinovodi (2020). PCI 6.23. Hungary–Slovenia interconnection (Nagykanizsa–Tornyiszentmiklós (HU) – Lendava (SI) – Kidričevo) information leaflet. Available at: http://www.plinovodi.si/media/4765/pci-information-leaflet-623.pdf (accessed 27 January 2021).
Reuters (2021). Croatia kicks off LNG terminal in north Adriatic. Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/croatia-lng-idUSL8N2JC0FN?fbclid=IwAR3cfNwl92yDiILkDRzZU-eW-Oz-iDCiWkqTi-ua_oHde052cfbhQLEqokM (accessed Jan 28 2021).
Safety4sea (2019). EU approves construction of Croatian LNG terminal at Krk island. Available at: https://safety4sea.com/eu-approves-construction-of-croatian-lng-terminal-at-krk-island/ (accessed January 28 2021).
Thomann, Pierre-Emmanuel (2019). The Three Seas Initiative, a New Project at the Heart of European and Global Geopolitical Rivalries. Rocznik Instytutu Europy Środkowo-Wschodniej [Yearbook of the Institute of East-Central Europe], Volume 17 (2019), Issue 3, pp. 31–63. doi: https://doi.org/10.36874/RIESW.2019.3.3.
Three seas Initiative Business Forum. Enhancing European and transatlantic economic cooperation (2018). Available at: https://3si-business.com/about/ (accessed 25 January 2021).
Three Seas Interconnection Priority Projects (2020). Commissioning of the regional LNG terminal in Paldiski, Estonia. Available at: https://projects.3seas.eu/projects/commissioning-of-the-regional-lng-terminal-in-paldiski-estonia (accessed 25 January 2021).
Three Seas Interconnection Priority Projects (2020). Construction of a coastal LNG terminal. Available at: https://projects.3seas.eu/projects/construction-of-a-coastal-lng-terminal (accessed 25 January 2021).
Three Seas Interconnection Priority Projects (2020). Eastring. Available at: https://projects.3seas.eu/projects/eastring (accessed January 2021).
Three Seas Interconnection Priority Projects (2020). UGS Chiren expansion. Available at: https://projects.3seas.eu/projects/ugs-chiren-expansion (accessed 27 January 2021).
Three Seas Summit in Tallinn, Estonia. Three Seas Priority Projects in Numbers (2020). Available at: https://www.3seas.eu/about/progressreport (accessed 25 January 2021).
Tzanetakou Nefeli (2019). Romania: Construction of the BRUA pipeline to finally begin. Independent Balkan News Agency. Available at: https://balkaneu.com/romania-construction-of-the-brua-pipeline-to-finally-begin/ (accessed 26 January 2021).