Syria and Pipeline Politics

Current conflicts in Syria seem to stem from a need to get fossil fuels from sources in the Middle East to where they are needed in Europe.

Iraq wants to build their own pipeline across Syria to Turkey and from there to Europe.

Saudi Arabia also wants to possibly build a pipeline either through:
(1) Iraq & Syria to Turkey
(2) Jordan & Syria to Turkey
(3) Iraq to Turkey
that would compete with Russia’s natural gas currently flowing to Europe.

Iran wants to build a pipeline through Iraq, Syria & Lebanon to Turkey and from there to Europe.

Qatar wants to build a pipeline though Syria to Turkey to sell to Europe.

In 2009 new gas fields were discovered near Israel, Lebanon, Cyprus and Syria if a pipeline is built to Turkey then these countries could bypass Saudi Arabia and Russia and sell directly to Europe.

Russia currently sells 70% of their natural gas to Europe so they don’t want competing pipelines. Russia also doesn’t want to lose their 49 year leased naval facility and their only Mediterranean port located in the Syrian city of Tartous.

The Europeans are also trying to get a 3500 kilometer southern natural gas line in operation from the Caspian Sea to Europe. This would require several pipelines, one that would cross Azerbaijan & Georgia. A second pipeline across Turkey and the Trans Adriatic pipeline that will pass through Greece and Albania into Italy and from there to the rest of Europe.

Too bad renewable energy is not currently being utilized to a greater extent in Europe if it was then tensions and conflict might be reduced.