Energy Connections and Geopolitics, Includes the The East Siberian-pacific Ocean oil pipeline (ESPO)

Energy Connections and Geopolitics 

The East Siberian-pacific Ocean oil pipeline (ESPO)

• The ESPO will be 2600 miles long when completed. Construction began in 2006, and will take 10 or more years. 
• Originally Russia planned the route to be through the area where the last remaining wild Amur leopards live. However in July 2005, it was announced that the rought would be changed due to the logistical, saftey and environmental objecitions. 
• ESPO also faces other issures, the initial route ran to close too the nothern tip of Lake Baikal, this is the worlds largest freshwater lake. This meant the route had to be placed further north. 
• The cost has also ballooned because of rising steel preices, and the challenge of building in soils affected by differeing permafrost conditions . 
• Once this pipeling is complete from Siberia to the Pacific coast, Russia will have a new energy pathway, so will be able to export its oil to courntiers in Asia. 

The Russian, Chinese and Japanese governemnts are all interested in oil for a whole hosy of geopolitical reasons. China and Japan have been competing for access to Russia's oil and the ESPO pipeline.

China's needs:

• China needs increasing amounts of energy to fuel its rapid economic growth. Access to foreign energy…