Energy Security and Oil Geopolitics in Historical Perspective Essay Example

perspective with an emphasis on how the energy security has historically related to food production, industrialization, job creation, military use and economic growth and development. The research proposal also seeks to find out how the petroleum fuel gained preference over other fossil fuels and the alternative energy sources to the petroleum fuel

Significance of the Study

This research can provide vital information on how the issue of energy security has played out throughout history and influenced geopolitics in the world.

Such information is useful in coming up with ways of averting future conflicts and improving international relations on the basis of effective oil or energy security management.

Research Questions

How has the need for energy security been addressed by mankind throughout history of the world? In what was has the need for oil security affected the political landscape throughout history? How has international relations among countries been affected by the oil geopolitics in modern history?

Literature Review

Before the industrial revolution, the human energy needs were few and people relied on the sun for heat, burnt straw, wood and dried dung in case the sun failed to provide the required energy. For the purpose of transportation, the horses’ muscles and the wind power provided the energy required. Food security needs relied on the wind and water, sources of energy which were used for driving simple machines that grounded grains and pumped the needed water.

The machines used dated as far back as the ancient Alexandria period and the evolution of steam engines followed with time and was considerably improved by the 17th and 18th centuries. The adoption of steam engine which was powered by coal mined from

the Appalachia and England mines could do more work than a combination of horses. Since they were more convenient than water and wind, and less costly than the use of horses, the steam engines were soon being used to power locomotives, farm machines and factories. The smelting of iron into steel and heating of buildings were also done by the use of coal. The first electric generator in the world was powered by coal attached to steam engine in 1880. The dependence on biomass fuels and animate power came to an end slowly and the great transition to fuel consuming engines and fossil fuels started at different times and lasted for different durations depending on a given country.

However, the earlier energy sources continued to be used for some time. “The disparity in affordability and accessibility can be used to explain the reason for traditional energy sources being used for a long period after the introduction of prime movers and new fuels”. For instance, the combustion of coal fuel surpassed that of fuel wood combustion in United States which is rich in wood and coal was widely used than charcoal later in 1880s. England became the first country to completely shift to coal from wood chiefly driven by the industrialization of British Isles. Coal was the main source of energy that energized the Industrial revolution which drew the line between the modern and the traditional world.

In England, there was widespread surface coal deposits and about every city where industrial revolution occurred such as Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham was either located near coal a field or on it. Coal powered the main industries like iron-making expansion; even

though textile industry drove the productive transformation mainly energized by water energy in both North America and Europe but not coal combustion. A new kind of fuel – petroleum – was replacing coal by the late 1800s after being considered a nuisance for years because it had contaminated drinking water wells. It was initially peddled by hucksters as medicine, but it later became a very valuable commodity used for lighting as a result of decline in whale oil industry. The next energy transition phase as seen in the era of the 21st century can be traced to the electrification process and rising world dependence on hydrocarbons in the 20th century, which left the greatest mark on people’s lives as well as the nations and their economies fortunes.

The advent of electricity generation that is commercially viable, its transmission and usage after the early 1880s invention by Thomas A. Edison and his associates had great influences on the various facets of human life and economic activities. Initially power plants were run on coal power or water. The electric energy transformed the everyday activities by bringing affordable and bright light to the both the streets and interiors, leisure-enhancing gadgets, energizing urban and intercity trains. Industrial production was among the best revolutionary consequence of this electrification with America manufacturing being the first to experience this transition in a span of three decades. The inexpensive electricity and its generation brought about job creation and opportunities either directly or indirectly.

Over the recent decades, electricity has opened up the growth of various labour intensive industries in both the manufacturing and processing sector. The use of fossil fuels, more so petroleum gained a

pace at the same period as electricity and had great influence on the industrial revolution and the general global economies. Both sources of energy have played a great role in creation of the modern world by facilitating farm productivity and thereby causing a reduction in agricultural populations, mechanisation of industrial production and allowing the movement of the labour force to the service sector. The first half of 20th century that culminated in World War II saw the idea of energy security linked to the supply of fuels for military use. This coincided with increased preference for petroleum over other sources of energy now that the world was moving away from the massive consumption of coal as the main source of energy. Upon switching from domestic fuel to the use of foreign fuel, the British Navy faced the risk of the occupation of the oil fields and attacks from enemies especially on the refineries and transportation lines.

The significance of oil supplies to the military was further highlighted by various battles and conflicts over the oil fields in the Middle East, Indonesia, Romania and Caucasus during the 2nd World War. During the post war periods, the importance of petroleum oil did not decline but became more vital for industrialized societies in various ways. The petroleum fuel became more important as the nations depended on it for motorized vehicles for transportation of passengers, food production, manufacturing and the generation of electricity. On the other hand, many developing countries also depended on revenues from oil exports for political stability and development. The 1950 period saw countries starting to ponder over the need for nuclear energy due to the increased

need for security given the arising conflicts surrounding the oil industry.

The United States in particular commissioned the first nuclear power plants whose operations started in Pennsylvania Shipping port. Such nuclear power plants were also commissioned in the USSR. This highlighted the politics of oil security as it extended from petroleum as source of energy to nuclear energy. The use of nuclear energy has off late come under heavy criticism informed by various accidents in major reactors, which have had hazardous effects especially on the environment. Then, the perception on energy changed and it was now a commodity in the market rather than a public good, making market theories shift from physical availability to prices.

The idea of economic welfare, affordability and price became common in modern definitions of energy securities. The most notable notion on energy security linked the varied economic challenges to security of energy, which had been handled separately in the past but later became rapidly intertwined. Of more importance was the pursuit of renewable energy by governments around the world for greater energy security and for environment benefits. In the modern history, there have been many conflicts involving major countries that are either economic and military powerhouses or producers of oil.

These conflicts have been informed by demand and supply of the crude oil resources which essentially drive the world economies. The geopolitics informed by this resource had been playing out from Middle East region’s relations with the western nations. In 1960, five oil producing countries held a meeting in Baghdad and created the OPEC as reaction to multinationals that had exerted control on oil business at the expense of these producers and existing

gap in management of global oil market. The conflict and vulnerability of the petroleum system became more apparent when many Arab countries belonging to the OPEC block and other non-OPEC Arab nations placed embargo on oil supplies to USA, Netherlands and to other countries while protesting the support offered to Israel by U.S.

Hence, part of the 20th century saw the most politically prominent energy security problem being the protection of supplies of oil which was important for modern economies and armies. The major strategy for ensuring oil supplies were secured was the establishment of international regimes so that there is less likelihood of oil flows disruption to the industrialized countries. Another aspect of energy security involved de-regulation of energy supplies which happened in many countries in the 80s and 90s. The aim was to “depoliticize the supply of energy and make it less susceptible to disruptions that are politically motivated and which had earlier informed the thinking on energy security” Beginning with the oil embargo aforementioned, there emerged in 1974 “a strategic Saudi-US axis that formed the basis of global oil trade that lasted to the end of 20th century”, when the alliance of the two nations started deteriorating. In this agreement the United States wished to keep under check the spread of communism in the Arab world. For some time, the oil producing countries seemed to gain political power, while the industrialized world was facing low supply due to declining production.

The OPEC and Saudi Arabia tried to control the oil market by setting oil prices or adjusting on supply in the early 1970’s. However, the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries power was later

to crumble due to bickering between member states. The Saudis lost their power to the EU and resumed a special relationship with U.S which would support the Saudi regime in exchange of reasonable oil price amid Iran’s transformation into a militant Islamic theocracy. Saudi Arabia became an important partner to U.S during Cold war period with Soviet Union. Having relied on Iran during the reign of Shah as part of Twin Pillar policy for the regions stability, the Islamic revolution in Iran upset this approach.

These sanctions were aimed at leveraging the trade with the producer by coercing them to change their behavior on market manipulation. During the cold war, there middle Eastern region became a stage for supremacy wars between the U.S and USSR as each country sought to spread its influence. Later, this saw President J.F Kennedy declare in a state of union speech that U.S would use any means possible to counter any disruption in oil supply. The speech was as a result of USSR’s communist influence in Afghanistan which saw the US government in conjunction with Saudis support rebel functions to curtail the communism spread. On the other hand, the USSR sat back to watch as the relationship between Arab states and Western powers, and the Arab nations themselves crumbled. Over the past century, oil has continued to change the world geopolitics as the oil and gas companies engage with local and national governments.

The world is undergoing change as United States power becomes diluted and developing nations like China continue rising which shows a shift in geopolitical power. For all nations’ energy security, access to oil and global competition for resources remains

a paramount issue. Energy use has affected the international relations given that it plays a vital role in issues related to economy, politics and military. Due to this, nations have devised strategies of enhancing Energy Corporation, especially between the Asian and the Western countries.

Research Methodology

The study is to use qualitative research methods in which information on secondary sources is analysed to explore the significance of energy on geopolitics throughout the human history. It is descriptive and exploratory and hence will help in gaining an understanding of the fundamental changes that have occurred over time in regard to energy security and geopolitics.

It is a good method of uncovering trends in the energy security spectrum.

Conclusion

Energy security has remains a real concern throughout history and various energy resources have emerged out of this need. Energy has been a vital aspect in food production, industrialization and the growth of military powers. This need has informed the way various nations, especially the western powers and the Asian oil producers have interrelated. Out of the various self-interest and conflicts arising from the oil geopolitics, various policies and military actions have arisen.

Overtime, the world has been experiencing changes, which will continue to be felt as competition for available resources intensifies.

References

1. Moan, Jaina L., and Zachary A. Smith. Energy Use Worldwide: A Reference Handbook. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2007. <http://site.ebrary.com/id/10182144>.
2. Yergin, Daniel. The Quest: Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World. New York: Penguin Books, 2012.
3. Esakova, Nataliya. European Energy Security: Analysing the EU-Russia Energy Security Regime in Terms of Interdependence Theory. Wiesbaden: Springer VS, 2012.
4. Cleveland, Cutler J.

   Concise Encyclopedia of History of Energy. San

Diego, Calif: Elsevier, 2009. <http://www.123library.org/book_details/?id=45986>.

CLIMATE CHANGE. 2012.

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