134
Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of energy that keeps America’s
economy running and America’s environment clean. For too long our nation has been
dependent on foreign oil and this dependence leaves us more vulnerable to hostile regimes,
and to terrorists—who could cause huge disruptions of oil shipments, and raise the price of
oil, and do great harm to our economy. (www.whitehouse.archives.gov 2016a, b)
In the same speech, he talked of diversifying the country’s energy supply, echoing
the 2001 report;
It’s in our vital interest to diversify America’s energy supply—the way forward is through
technology. We must continue changing the way America generates electric power, by even
greater use of clean coal technology, solar and wind energy, and clean, safe nuclear power.
We need to press on with battery research for plug-in and hybrid vehicles and expand the
use of clean diesel vehicles and biodiesel fuel. We must continue investing in new methods
of producing ethanol, using everything from wood chips to grass, to agricultural waste.
(www.whitehouse.archives.gov 2016a, b)
The first seven chapters of the NEP report focused on increasing profits of
domestic energy, particularly via removing legal barriers on the larger exploitation
of domestic oil, gas, and coal reserves, and increasing the share of nuclear energy.
The eighth and final chapter however shifted emphasis from such conservatory and
efficiency measures to demand on foreign oil. Chapter 8, entitled “Strengthening
Global Alliance: Enhancing National Energy Security and International
Relationships,” began with the assertion that the energy supplies needed to ensure
energy security and the US and global economic growth, had been, over the previous two decades, largely secured thanks to the success of free market forces (Mahdi
2012:67).
The NEP emphasized that “Over the next 20 years, U.S. oil consumption will
grow by over 6 million barrels per day” (Jaffe and Morse 2001:X). However, if
trends continue output will fall by 1.5 bpd, as it has over the past decade. In order to
meet demand, the US would need to see an increase in output of 7.5 bpd over current levels. At the current rate, America will only be able to supply 30% of its own
oil needs by 2020.
The NEP also recommended several global reserves ought to be tapped, including those of the Caspian Sea, which was pointed to as a rapidly growing new area of
supply. The NEP stated that the economic disruption caused by supply problems can
be mitigated by increasing levels of traditional oil production and exports from the
Western Hemisphere, the Caspian region, and Africa (Jaffe and Morse 2001:8–11).
The NEP pointed out that the “President directed the Secretaries of State,
Commerce, and Energy to support the BTC oil pipeline to demonstrate its commercial viability.” They are to work on developing the conditions that will facilitate the
operation of export activities in Kazakhstan via the BTC pipeline. The Secretaries of
State are also to support private investors in the development of the Sha Deniz pipeline, which will benefit Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia through export and supply
diversification of supply. The President directed federal offices to finish the current
process of oil spill response readiness workshops and to look at measures to guarantee the recommendations set out are enforced. In addition to this President directed
that Turkey and Greece were to be supported to link their gas pipelines to allow
4 George W. Bush Energy Diplomacy
Extending hope and opportunity depends on a stable supply of energy that keeps America’s
economy running and America’s environment clean. For too long our nation has been
dependent on foreign oil and this dependence leaves us more vulnerable to hostile regimes,
and to terrorists—who could cause huge disruptions of oil shipments, and raise the price of
oil, and do great harm to our economy. (www.whitehouse.archives.gov 2016a, b)
In the same speech, he talked of diversifying the country’s energy supply, echoing
the 2001 report;
It’s in our vital interest to diversify America’s energy supply—the way forward is through
technology. We must continue changing the way America generates electric power, by even
greater use of clean coal technology, solar and wind energy, and clean, safe nuclear power.
We need to press on with battery research for plug-in and hybrid vehicles and expand the
use of clean diesel vehicles and biodiesel fuel. We must continue investing in new methods
of producing ethanol, using everything from wood chips to grass, to agricultural waste.
(www.whitehouse.archives.gov 2016a, b)
The first seven chapters of the NEP report focused on increasing profits of
domestic energy, particularly via removing legal barriers on the larger exploitation
of domestic oil, gas, and coal reserves, and increasing the share of nuclear energy.
The eighth and final chapter however shifted emphasis from such conservatory and
efficiency measures to demand on foreign oil. Chapter 8, entitled “Strengthening
Global Alliance: Enhancing National Energy Security and International
Relationships,” began with the assertion that the energy supplies needed to ensure
energy security and the US and global economic growth, had been, over the previous two decades, largely secured thanks to the success of free market forces (Mahdi
2012:67).
The NEP emphasized that “Over the next 20 years, U.S. oil consumption will
grow by over 6 million barrels per day” (Jaffe and Morse 2001:X). However, if
trends continue output will fall by 1.5 bpd, as it has over the past decade. In order to
meet demand, the US would need to see an increase in output of 7.5 bpd over current levels. At the current rate, America will only be able to supply 30% of its own
oil needs by 2020.
The NEP also recommended several global reserves ought to be tapped, including those of the Caspian Sea, which was pointed to as a rapidly growing new area of
supply. The NEP stated that the economic disruption caused by supply problems can
be mitigated by increasing levels of traditional oil production and exports from the
Western Hemisphere, the Caspian region, and Africa (Jaffe and Morse 2001:8–11).
The NEP pointed out that the “President directed the Secretaries of State,
Commerce, and Energy to support the BTC oil pipeline to demonstrate its commercial viability.” They are to work on developing the conditions that will facilitate the
operation of export activities in Kazakhstan via the BTC pipeline. The Secretaries of
State are also to support private investors in the development of the Sha Deniz pipeline, which will benefit Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia through export and supply
diversification of supply. The President directed federal offices to finish the current
process of oil spill response readiness workshops and to look at measures to guarantee the recommendations set out are enforced. In addition to this President directed
that Turkey and Greece were to be supported to link their gas pipelines to allow
4 George W. Bush Energy Diplomacy