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The Russian Federation The Brookings Foreign Policy Studies Energy Security Series The Russian Federation The Brookings Institution October 2006 The Energy EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Security Series The rise of China and India as major global economic powers, the contin- Change of Fortune ued growth in U.S. energy demand, and instability in key oil-exporting nergy is at the heart of Russia’s remarkable change of fortune over the past regions are dramatically affecting seven years. Emerging from a state of virtual bankruptcy in August 1998, the international energy markets. Pros- country now enjoys large surpluses, has inverted its debt burden with the out- pects for stable production are in- E creasingly linked to internal political side world, and has racked up successive years of economic growth and low infla- issues and the regional ambitions of tion. This dramatic turnaround is directly related to Russia’s status as the world’s major suppliers. These dynamics will largest producer of oil and natural gas—the country has benefited tremendously affect the global balance of power, as energy security is becoming a more from soaring prices on the world market. important factor in countries’ national security and economic development With this newfound economic strength, Russia has also regained a sense of sover- calculations. eignty. No longer content to play second fiddle to the West or China, it is reassert- ing itself as a major global player and reversing the international humiliations of the The Brookings Foreign Policy Studies Energy Security Series is examining 1990s. In charting an independent foreign policy course, Russia is exerting domi- four key energy-consuming nations— nance over the former Soviet republics of Eurasia (its so-called “near-abroad”). And China, India, Japan, and the United it is trying to leverage self-proclaimed status as an “energy superpower” with other States—and several major produc- ing countries—Russia to start, and oil and gas consuming nations in Europe and further afield. then the Gulf States and others as resources become available. The Series will analyze the implications of A Vulnerable “Energy Superpower” these nations’ policies for the global ehind the scenes, however, Russia’s entire political and economic system is energy security environment. Initial extremely tenuous. Rather than rebuilding the economy through judicious funding under this project has sup- ported a set of baseline papers Bpolicymaking and modernization, Russia has balanced its future on the twin focused on oil. Future analyses on this pillars of oil and gas, which are vulnerable to the vagaries of the global market. The topic will cover the full spectrum of country’s success depends on high energy prices and the ability to sustain produc- energy security issues. tion—both of which are in question. This report, a study of the policies and realities of energy powerhouse This monograph examines Russia’s historical dependence on oil and gas produc- Russia, is drawn from research done tion and the intricate system of distributing windfall profits (“rent sharing”) that in 2006 by Brookings Senior Fellows underpins its economy. A full accounting of rent distribution includes not only the Clifford Gaddy and Fiona Hill, Senior Research Assistant Igor Danchenko, traditional mechanisms like budgetary expenditures and corporate profits, but also and Research Analyst Dmitry Ivanov. substantial informal flows through the entire economy—from price subsidies to The Brookings Foreign Policy Studies Energy Security Series: The Russian Federation—Executive Summary 1 inflated costs of production to bribes and various off-budget “contributions” by businesses to local and national government officials. This paper considers how Russia’s concept of energy security differs from and may Russia’s concept even conflict with that of Western consuming nations. And it weighs the implica- tions of Russia’s official and unofficial energy strategies, which many consider out- of energy security dated. A number of key observations result: differs from and ■ Russia will remain a major energy player on the global market for the foresee- able future. may even conflict ■ Although Russia is often compared to Saudi Arabia, and indeed its energy out- with that put is almost equal to it, Russia has virtually no spare export capacity. Therefore, of Western Russia lacks the leverage over world oil markets that Saudi Arabia is perceived to have. The situation is markedly different in natural gas, where Russia is consuming nations. attempting to gain leverage over European gas markets through partnerships with its gas-rich neighbors Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. ■ Russia’s concept of energy security differs from that of the leading Western con- suming nations. For the latter, energy security implies dependable energy sup- ply from multiple independent sources at fair and preferably low prices. For Russia, energy security means security of demand by foreign customers at fair and preferably high prices. Russia is trying to reconcile these differing ap- proaches to energy security and to gain greater access to foreign markets. ■ Russia’s economic dependence on both oil and gas revenues is substantial and unlikely to decrease in the near future. If energy prices fall or even remain flat, he Brookings Institution is a pri- Russia’s economic growth will slow considerably. Tvate nonprofit organization devot- ed to independent research and inno- ■ Russian policymakers’ attention to the resource sector is dominated by issues of vative policy solutions. Celebrating its rent redistribution (divvying up the bounty), which is hindering the resolution 90th anniversary in 2006, Brookings of urgent resource sector problems like reserve replacement. analyzes current and emerging issues and produces new ideas that mat- ■ The country’s energy security concept is not focused solely on oil and gas, al- ter—for the nation and the world. For though these twin commodities are its pillars. Russia is in the process of formu- policymakers and the media, Brook- lating and implementing several initiatives for nuclear, coal, and hydropower ings scholars provide the highest quality research, policy recommenda- energy generation as well as for energy transportation infrastructure. If success- tions, and analysis on the full range of ful, these initiatives may free up additional oil and gas export capacity for Russia public policy issues. and decrease its dependency on energy transit through eastern Europe. ■ Russia’s energy strategy is based on an obsolete document—“Russia’s Energy Strategy until 2020.” Russia is unlikely to undertake major energy initiatives at home and abroad until it evaluates the results of the G-8 summit. In the near future, Russia will continue to try to use its energy leverage for political and eco- nomic gains in Europe and Eurasia. The Brookings Foreign Policy Studies Energy Security Series: The Russian Federation—Executive Summary 2 The Brookings Foreign Policy Studies Energy Security Series The Russian Federation Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4 Twin Pillars: Oil and Gas .............................................................................................................. 5 An Energy-Based Economy .......................................................................................................... 6 Rent Sharing .................................................................................................................................. 7 The Size of Rents .......................................................................................................................... 10 Oil and Gas for the World ........................................................................................................... 12 New Regional Energy Players ....................................................................................................... 14 Sustainability of Supply ................................................................................................................. 16 Fighting over the Spoils ................................................................................................................ 17 The Subsoil Law ........................................................................................................................... 20 Official Energy Strategy ................................................................................................................ 21 Putin’s Views ................................................................................................................................. 23 Russia as an “Energy Superpower” ............................................................................................... 25 Dissenting Voices .......................................................................................................................... 27 Russia’s Energy Security Agenda and “Security of Demand” ....................................................... 28 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 29 Notes ............................................................................................................................................
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