The Western World Daily Readings on Geography Chapter 83 Russian Domain Economic Geography I

CHAPTER 83 Russian Domain Economic Geography I Natural Gas Cleaned by Nikita from Noun Russia is by far the largest country in the world by land area . Even by simple probability , it is likely that Russia would hold a variety of natural resources , some in high quantities . Indeed , that is true , as Russia has a vast supply of natural resources , especially in the expansive areas of Siberia . Energy resources are included in very large reserves in Russia , both oil and natural gas . Given that reserves by definition are not yet extracted , they are estimates , though generally well calculated . By most estimates , Russia is the world leader in natural gas reserves with proven reserves of 1668 trillion cubic feet ( 47 trillion cubic meters ) This is about of the world reserves and is approximately times that of the United States ( in the world ( Iran , An excellent map of Russia top ten oilfields and top ten natural gas fields can be seen at . The ( or ) gas field in western Siberia has been Russia key gas field for many years , after being discovered in 1966 with production being initiated in 1978 . is the second largest gas field and the most productive in the world . There are natural gas fields in numerous locations in Russia , but clearly Siberia holds the greatest reserves . The challenge for the economic exploitation of this energy resource was significant , given its location in a frigid climate . Even though western Siberia is the nearest portion of Siberia to the populated portions of Russia and to industry there and in the Ural Mountains , transportation of the gas to those locations still required construction and installation of extensive pipelines across difficult landscapes . As climate change affects Russia , construction 403

404 JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL and maintenance of infrastructure in Siberia becomes more and more tricky . Much of Siberia , especially so the northern locations , features permafrost soils . Every summer the active layer , the top meter or more , melts . This causes anything built on these surfaces houses , pipelines , railroad lines to risk instability by shifting or moving . Engineers compensate for this risk in different ways for instance , by pinning supports deeper through the permafrost into the unchanged strata below the active layer . However , as global warming heats Siberia , the active layer is extended deeper . Structures that once were secure may now become movable . Construction of new infrastructure must account for these greater risks . Pipelines and the structural supports holding the pipelines are at risk of shifting or breaking . New pipelines and maintenance pipelines necessarily must adjust . The Soviet Union interest in developing its natural gas potential began during World War II , when wartime disruption of coal supplies , its main source of heat and energy , caused hardships . Discovery of vast natural gas fields in western Siberia in the 19605 demonstrated the potential for this choice of energy . Utilizing these fields demanded considerable investment and labor , but proved to , be worthwhile for domestic use . Subsequently as the Soviet Union and then Russia sought to deliver the gas even farther , that is , to Eastern Europe and beyond into countries like Germany , these pipelines stretched greater and greater distances . The . international sales of Russian natural gas proved to be more than simple economic transactions , but became geopolitical topics of concern as well . The breakup of the Soviet Union fractured the country into fifteen new countries . The former republics , particularly to the west of Russia , had been domestic consumers of Soviet natural gas from Siberia . As these new countries , they remained customers of Russian gas from Siberia , but now with geopolitical aspects to this energy trade . For instance , Ukraine became a new country with mixed feelings toward the new Russia . Ukrainians shared linguistic , ethnic , and historical connections with Russia , yet also often sought to break the links by looking westward to Europe for trade and politics . The new Russia strongly opposed these aspects of new Ukrainian ideas . One lever used by Russia to influence Ukrainian geopolitical leanings was the natural gas dependency . For instance , 2009 , for thirteen cold winter days in Ukraine , Russia suspended the flow of gas to pipelines into Ukraine , while renegotiating the economic terms of their energy trade . Although the terms may have been economic , the framework of the crisis was the political reminder that Russia controls winter heating and can turn that it feels the geopolitical need . Similarly , as of 2013 , former Soviet republics and now independent Baltic countries , were 100 dependent on Russia for natural gas . While Russia certainly utilizes natural gas in its industrial and residential sectors , it also exports a considerable share to several European countries , as seen in overall totals in the chart below . image Energy . Cartography .

RUSSIAN DOMAIN ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY I 405 ' gnu I ' Ec . FE . I I . I ' III . 231 ?

These too have geopolitical implications . In 2013 , Germany bought 46 of its natural gas supply from Russia . The United States currently is applying political pressure on Germany to reduce its purchases of natural gas from Russia , arguing that this economic link benefits Russia at a time that Europe and America should seek to weaken Russia . Geopolitical factors now are affecting two major Russian pipeline . Stream is a proposed doubling of an existing undersea pipeline that would bring natural gas from near Petersburg , under the Baltic Sea , to northern Germany . Although American economic sanctions against Russia and against companies doing certain types of business with Russia have hindered the project , it appears that Russia will complete the work by winter 2021 . To the south , Russia has faced obstacles as well . The political backlash from its annexation of from Ukraine in 2014 effectively scuttled Russia proposed South Stream . Those plans were replaced by the successful Turk Stream that runs under the Black Sea from Russia to , Turkey , initiating gas flows to at the start of 2020 . is the world largest natural gas corporation . A majority of its stock is owned by the Russian government . Its corporate website is .

406 JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL Natural gas can used and transported for a variety of uses and products . Here is a small section of pipeline transporting ammonia from , Russia , to Odessa , Ukraine . Did You Know ?

The novel Red Snow by Edward is a fictional crime novel that accurately described the challenges of Soviet extraction of natural gas in the gas field . Along with the economic gains , there was extensive exploitation of the native people as well as degradation of the Siberian landscape . The original English translation in hardback featured a clear plastic protective book shield that enclosed a number of small white imitation snowflakes . An American strategy to lessen European dependence on Russian natural gas is to sell American natural gas to Europe . However , it is impossible to build a gas pipeline from the United States to Europe . Instead , these sales would be of natural gas ( Of course , sale of is far from simple , requiring liquefaction in American ports , transportation across the Atlantic Ocean , and gasification in European port facilities . Russia also has oil pipelines coming out of Siberia and other Russian oilfields . The ( Friendship ) pipeline is the world longest pipeline . An additional map of Russian gas pipelines can be seen at

RUSSIAN DOMAIN ECONOMIC I 407 CITED AND ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY , Joseph . 2020 . Russia Energy Bourne , Joel 2019 . See Russia Massive New Gas Plant on the Arctic Coast . Environment . March . 2009 . Ammonia Pipeline . Creative Commons Alike Generic . Lee , Julian . 2019 . Are You a Robot ?

September 29 , Riva , Joseph , Gordon Atwater , Lee Solomon , John Carruthers , and . Natural Gas Location of Major Gas Encyclopedia . Accessed August , Russia Natural Gas Reserves , Production and Consumption Statistics . Accessed August . Anna . 2020 . Vessel Option Emerges to Complete Sanctioned Stream . February 17 , siesta . 2019 . What Are the Largest Natural Gas Fields in Russia ?

Energy . June 21 , Energy Information Administration . 2018 . Europe Natural Gas Supply Composition ( File ( 44636201715 ) Public Domain .