President Biden and Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, announced in Brussels Friday that the U.S. and European Union will be launching a joint task force to help Europe pull away from its reliance on Russian gas. [bold, links added]
Biden said that Russian President Vladimir Putin uses energy to “coerce and manipulate his neighbors” and uses the profits from its sale to “drive his war machine.”
He said it’s not “only the right thing to do from a moral standpoint,” but “it’s going to put us on a stronger strategic footing.”
The task force will “work to ensure energy security for Ukraine and the EU in preparation for next winter and the following one while supporting the EU’s goal to end its dependence on Russian fossil fuels,” the White House said in a statement.
Under the plan, the U.S. and other nations will increase liquefied natural gas exports to Europe by 15 billion cubic meters this year. Even larger shipments would be delivered in the future.
“It’s going to take some time to adjust gas supply chains and infrastructure that (were) built for the last decade so we’re going to have to make sure the families in Europe can get through this winter and the next while we’re building an infrastructure for a diversified, resilient and clean energy future,” he said.
Biden already announced that the U.S. would ban imports of Russian oil and gas earlier this month because of the war in Ukraine, but European countries are much more reliant on Moscow for energy needs.
The task force’s two main goals will be to diversify liquefied natural gas supplies “in alignment with climate objectives” and to reduce the demand for natural gas, the White House said.
Read more at Fox News
Seems Putin’s operations in Ukraine and in particular around Crimea (already seized) are to regain control of the very large deposits of natural gas in the Black Sea. Restoring the situation as to Soviet times. And weakening Ukraine substantially, with no direct access to shipping for agricultural products either. So a total disaster for Europe, which needs both.
No mention of nuclear, which can also be used for fanciful hydrogen, so Europe will be reliant on US as well as on Russian natural gas. We’ll be able to play one against the other, if too squeamish to burn our own. So we’ll end up with both Russia and America favoring our Wind and Sun via their respective activists. All happy: W+S can stay small and discontinuous, but still conscience saving, and will always need gassy backup. At least gas is clean, cheap and easy to use while waiting for Fusion.
Maybe enough oil will remain for transport and feedstock where gas can’t be used, so that we can avoid dependence on rare metals and their miners.
So, how are you going to “ramp up” domestic natural gas production to sell surplus LNG? You won’t achieve that with the continuation of the punitive regulatory policies at multiple levels you insist on. You won’t make a DENT in the needed European natural gas supply unless several domestic LNG export terminals & attendant pipeline infrastructure is timely permitted. Your left wing enviro activists will make sure any attempt to increase LNG exports is tied up in endless litigation, just like Keystone XL, Constitution, Mountain Valley et al. You can’t cater to environmental FANATICS and increase domestic oil & gas production to promote energy security. Thus, this is simply a NOTHING burger…
So right Randy. I wonder if FERC’s step back from their very restrictive pipeline and export terminal regs is due to this announcement. Funny how they both happened pretty much at the same time. But the proof will be, as they say, in the pudding. How quickly can pipelines and LNG export terminals can be approved and built?
Steve, if you don’t get embroiled in litigation, I’d suspect that it will take most of these proposed export terminals anywhere from 3-5 years to get from the drawing board to turning any dirt given the current permitting structure. Given recent history, the pipelines might prove the bigger “snag,” although that Jordan Cove LNG project near Coos Bay, Oregon dragged on for years. Everyone seems to focus on the regulatory apparatus, but the BIGGEST hurdle is the environmental NGO’s. It has become an “art” delaying projects in the courts. Until that is reeled in, you won’t see much progress on getting new LNG export facilities up & running very quickly…