Geopolitics of energy in Eurasia-the case of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan with the fourth largest natural gas reserves in the world is set to play a crucial role in world’s energy politics. Yet, its prospects to do so is hindered due its unfavorable geopolitics and the landlocked position of the country. This thesis provides a broad analysis of the shifting dimensions of Turkmenistan’s energy sector by reviewing its bilateral relations with neighboring countries with an emphasis on past and ongoing projects. Additionally, this work will focus on the likelihood of potential diversification of existing natural gas routes by taking up geopolitical considerations such as security, access to international waters and relations with the surrounding neighborhood. The main research questions that this thesis seeks to answer are the following: what are the feasible scenarios for Turkmenistan to diversify their natural gas export market? What are the major geopolitical factors that restrict Turkmenistan’s ability to diversify their gas routes? In considering these questions, the emphasis will be on determining the feasibility of different natural gas routes between Turkmenistan and its partners, and the future prospects of Turkmen gas trade relations with emerging markets