Gas y Gazprom: problemas internos, estrategia internacional y seguridad energética

Abstract

This paper discusses the problems and uncertainties which affect the Russian gas industry, and its internationalisation strategy as well, in order to identify the factors which could put into risk the security of gas supplies to Europe. The analysis shows that, beyond the political factors, which are often seen as the cause of energy security problems, there are economic reasons which justify the European suspicions, although none of them are worrisome enough. From them, the most relevant is that the investments focused towards the development of new fields may not arrive in time to satisfy the needs of a growing gas demand. In the medium term, this under achievement should lead to a temporal supply crisis, which in an extreme scenario could negatively affect exports to the European Union.