Security Of Natural Gas Supply Through Transit Countries

Jens HETLAND & Teimuraz GOCHITASHVILI In contrast to oil, natural gas is usually routed through pipeline systems stretched from the wellhead to the end-user ¿ although liquefied natural gas (LNG) is gaining increased interest; the commercialisation of natural gas fields is inherently linked to rigid transportation systems that require huge investments in tangible assets fixed to specific locations; the supply of natural gas is constrained by the transportation system, and requires access to appropriate infrastructure for transport and distribution; the trading of natural gas is traditionally associated with long-term contracts, albeit the duration per se of gas transport contracts appears to be less important after the deregulation of the energy markets. As diversification is strategically important to modern societies, the security of energy supplies becomes an inherent issue. In order to avoid situations of shortage, and to keep the price level stable, industrial nations are paying a