The Caspian Sea region has become a central focal point for untapped oil and natural gas resources from the southern portion of the former Soviet Union. Beginning in May 2005, oil from the southern sections of the Caspian Sea began pumping through a new pipeline (built by a BPled consortium) to the Turkish seaport of Ceyhan. The 8-year effort of Western capital, technology, and diplomacy had aimed to decrease reliance on Middle Eastern oil. Although oil reserve growth in the Caspian region has not met levels that had been expected in the 1990s, European countries are paying special attention to the natural gas resources that could lie beneath the Sea as a way to diversify their sources of gas imports. This report defines the Caspian Sea as an area including the Sea's littoral states of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, as well as parts of Russia and Iran. Uzbekistan, although not a littoral state, is the region's largest natural gas producer and is therefore included in the region for the purposes of this analysis.


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    Title :

    Country Analysis Briefs: Caspian Sea


    Publication date :

    2007


    Size :

    17 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English