The Politics of Pipelines

Following Moscow's move to cut off its oil supply, Belarus has, for the first time, threatened to tamper with the transit of Russian oil exports to Europe.

Their new agreement notwithstanding, Moscow and Kyiv are ultimately set to go their separate ways on energy.

While sanctions will depress Russia's economic performance, they are unlikely to go to an extreme that causes its economic collapse.

If the two countries cannot reach an agreement before the current agreement expires Dec. 31, Russian gas deliveries to Europe via Ukraine could well experience interruptions.

The White House warned it's considering potentially detrimental sanctions against the German-Russian pipeline. But the threats are still likely more bark than bite.

There are signs Washington might be inching toward action against the ambitious German-Russian pipeline, though such a move risks irking EU powers.

As Turkey and Cyprus cross swords once more over hydrocarbon exploration, Greece and the U.S. are wading into the dispute.

Competition over eastern Mediterranean natural gas will pit Cyprus, Greece, Israel and Egypt against Turkey and Northern Cyprus.

If passed, a measure would give Germany some negotiating power over the key pipeline project to deliver Russian natural gas directly to the EU.

Increased production from Kirkuk after a deal between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government is pushing oil prices lower than some OPEC members are comfortable with.