Energy geopolitics moves toward the Great North

Because of the developing political chaos in the Middle-East and of the political problems of Russia (Tchetchenia, North-Ossetia, and more recently in its relations with Ukraine), the geopolitics of petroleum is moving towards the North: Baltic, Barents and Bering seas. This trend will concern in particular the Siberian gas, the Norwegian gas and the petroleum from Alaska. The conclusion of the author is that this northward move is favourable to the interests of the United States which will remain the 'masters of the energy geopolitical game'. (J.S.)