Security of natural gas supply through transit countries : proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop, Tbilisi, Georgia, from 20 to 22 May 2003

The security of energy supplies is important to modern societies if they are to avoid shortages and maintain stable prices.

In terms of natural gas supplies, this confers strategic importance on having more than one supplier and more than one transport route.

This strategic requirement has implications for political issues, international law, economics, and science and technology.

This volume discusses the transport and handling of natural gas from remote regions and pipelines routed through third-party - transit - countries.

Strategic reserves and the broad issue of energy management are also considered.

Since pipelines are vulnerable to sabotage and terrorists activity, the social and political stability of the countries through which the pipelines pass are obviously key issues.

It is thus mandatory that the transit countries can use their compensation payments to improve their social stability.

The book paints the issues with a broad brush and represents a key information resource on science, technology, strategic and geopolitical issues, and key opportunities related to reservoir geology and cryogenic research.