As energy insecurity continues to pose a significant global threat, one NATO official is emphasizing the critical role of Canadian oil and gas in maintaining stability and security worldwide.
According to the Canadian Energy Centre, an Alberta government-owned corporation tasked with promoting the oil and gas sector, Juljius Grubliauskas, a NATO representative from Lithuania, underlined the profound societal impact of energy scarcity when it comes to global security.
“I remember clearly from my childhood in 1990 when the Russians cut off energy supplies to try to break the resolve of the Lithuanians, (and) that affected the daily lives of every citizen,” said Grubliauskas.
“Having a lack of energy has a massive social impact and massive cascading effects like prices immediately jumping, massive inflation and such. Today obviously many things have changed and the energy landscape looks much different, but the principle that energy is closely linked to national security and the independence of nations to make their decisions still remains true.”
According to Can Ögütcü, a NATO energy security policy expert based in Brussels, the reliance on oil and gas from North America, particularly Canada and the United States is paramount.
“We need to be sure that we’re going to have security of supply of production in the U.S. and in Canada,” said Ögütcü.
“We have lost one import supplier, the Russians. We are in the transition to perhaps also lose another big supplier, the Middle East Gulf countries, as maritime routes become more and more insecure.”
North American energy integration emerges as a pivotal aspect of global energy security. While Canadian oil and gas primarily flow to the United States, the integrated pipeline system facilitates their re-exportation from the U.S. gulf coast to global markets.
A recent report by S&P Global reveals that Canada and the United States have surpassed the Middle East as the leading producers of oil and gas globally. This shift not only consolidates energy security within the North American continent but also extends its reach to allies worldwide.
Joseph Calnan, an energy security analyst, underscored the significance of infrastructure projects such as the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline and the Keystone pipeline in bolstering energy security for both North America and NATO allies.
“North American energy integration, things like the Enbridge Line 3 pipeline and the Keystone pipeline are absolutely crucial pieces of infrastructure, not just for the energy security of North America but also increasingly for the energy security of NATO allies,” said Calnan.
