Global change in gas transportation methods in the last decade with a forecast of future trends

Jedini strateški resursi u proteklom vremenu oko kojih se diktirala geopolitika cijelog svijeta bili su nafta i ugljen. Međutim, od 70-ih godina prošlog stoljeća pa sve do danas, prirodni plin posjeduje veću ulogu na geopolitičkoj sceni. Prirodni plin ostaje najbrže rastući izvor energije više od dva desetljeća u većini regija svijeta pa tako i u Europi. Razlozi tome su niske emisije stakleničkih plinova, visoka učinkovitost, dostupnost, pogodnost za okoliš i dugoročna ušteda u proizvodnji energije. Navedene karakteristike pozicioniraju prirodni plin na mjesto primarnog goriva energetske tranzicije. U radu će biti navedeni i objašnjeni svi putevi opskrbe velikih zemalja Svijeta i Europe prirodnim plinom te načini raspodjele i trgovine, transporta između europskih država i zemalja Svijeta. Dostupnost plina je vezana za plinske mreže odnosno infrastrukturu. Izgradnjom LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) terminala povećava se međunarodna dimenzija tržišta prirodnog plina. Danas se putem LNG infrastrukture uvodi konkurencija na tržište koje je prethodno ovisilo u većem broju slučajeva o jednom dobavnom pravcu, plinovodu. LNG terminali u EU čine novu mrežu uvoza prirodnog plina preko koje se poboljšala sigurnost opskrbe energijom mnogih europskih zemalja potrošača i smanjila ovisnost o Ruskom plinu. Novootvoreni LNG terminal na otoku Krku strateški je važan projekt Europske unije i Republike Hrvatske. Promjenjivost cijena na europskim tržištima plina ne ovisi samo o odnosu ponude i potražnje, već na nju utječu i neki drugi čimbenici kao što su: tehnološki razvoj, izgradnja transportne i distribucijske mreže, ali i brojni neenergetski čimbenici poput geopolitičkih odnosa, terorizma, ratova i sukoba, špekulacija te prirodnih katastrofa. Detaljnijom analizom političkih zbivanja te uvidom u količine proizvodnje, raspodjele i potrošnje energije može se doći do jasnih i konkretnih odgovora na brojna geopolitička pitanja u proteklih 10 godina te dati projekciju za narednih 10 godina. U ovom radu analiziraju se uzroci, povod i posljedice svih važnijih energetskih kriza i odluka na geopolitičkoj karti svijeta koje su utjecale na način transporta prirodnog plina.In the past, the only strategic resources around which the geopolitics of the whole world was dictated were oil and coal. However, from the 70s of the last century until today, natural gas has an increasingly important role on the geopolitical scene. Natural gas remains the fastest growing energy source for more than two decades in most regions of the world, including Europe. The reasons for this are low greenhouse gas emissions, high efficiency, availability, suitability for the environment and long-term savings in energy production. The aforementioned characteristics position natural gas as the primary fuel of the energy transition. The paper will list and explain all the ways of supplying large countries of the World and Europe with natural gas, as well as the methods of distribution and trade, transport between European countries and the countries of the World. The availability of gas is related to gas networks or infrastructure. The construction of the LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) terminal increases the international dimension of the natural gas market.. Today, through the LNG infrastructure, competition is being introduced to the market, which previously depended in most cases on one supply line, the gas pipeline. LNG terminals in the EU form a new natural gas import network that has improved the security of energy supply in many European consumer countries and reduced dependence on Russian gas. The newly opened LNG terminal on the island of Krk is a strategically important project of the European Union and the Republic of Croatia. The volatility of prices on European gas markets does not only depend on the supply and demand relationship, but is also influenced by some other factors such as: technological development, construction of the transport and distribution network, but also numerous non-energy factors such as geopolitical relations, terrorism, wars and conflicts , speculation and natural disasters. A more detailed analysis of political events and an insight into the amount of production, distribution and consumption of energy can provide clear and concrete answers to numerous geopolitical issues in the past 10 years and give a projection for the next 10 years. This thesis analyzes the causes, reasons and consequences of all major energy crises and decisions on the geopolitical map of the world that affected the way natural gas is transported