Natural Gas, US Shale Dynamics and Energy Security : A View from the European Union

This chapter provides an analysis of natural gas as a source to enhance energy security in the European Union (EU). To set the scene, section 2 gives an overview of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum as an example the gas oligopoly in today's market. Section 3 shows the basics of natural gas transportation and shale gas extraction, whereas sections 4 and 5 provide an analysis of how the EU can increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to diversify its energy supplies and what the implications of the US shale gas revolution are for EU energy security. Section 6 concludes the chapter