CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VI (1) Contemporary-Eurasia-VI-1-engl | Page 21

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VI (1)
Numerous energy and energy transportation infrastructures – gas
and oil pipelines in particular – were developed in the South Caucasus
during the post-Soviet period; especially Azerbaijan and Georgia,
have engaged in several energy projects over the past 20 years. Due to
the Karabakh conflict, Armenia has not been able to participate in
these projects and has been forced to create its own energy security
system out of regional energy projects.
Since regional dynamics of security heavily depends on energy
projects in the South Caucasus, these projects, along with several
newly-established pipelines, played a certain deterring role in the
regional security environment and provided the region with relative
stability and security, but it also greatly enhanced the dependence of
relative peace and stability on international oil prices 3 3. Three
regional pipelines were built in the region in the post-Soviet period.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline was commissioned in 2006 and
Baku-Erzurum gas pipeline was built in 2006. The oil pipeline Baku-
Supsa (Georgia) was built in 1998 but doesn't work now 4 . These
developments brought about a significant change in the balance of
power in the South Caucasus.
Armenia's absence from the above-mentioned energy projects
reduced its role in the regional policy and especially in its energy
component. It forced Armenia to look for new ways to create its own
energy security system. This provided Russia with an opportunity to
strengthen its presence in Armenia's energy sector and gain control of
Armenia's gas and electricity industries and infrastructures 5 .
The energy security is a key component of national security of any
state, but for Armenia – blockaded by Azerbaijan and Turkey - it is of
vital importance. Armenia aimed to create a full-scale energy security
system which became possible thanks to its association with an oil-
rich ally like Russia. It was one of the reasons why Armenia in 2013
joined the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union.
Tsalik. S., Ebel E. R., “Caspian Oil Windfalls: Who Will Benefit?”, ed. by
Robert Ebel, 2003, pp. 71-88, New York.
4
Supsa Terminal and Pipeline, Georgia, https://www.hydrocarbons-
technology.com/projects/supsa/
5
Nixey J., “The South Caucasus: Drama on Three Stages”, 2010, pp. 125-142,
London.
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