Top Energy Expert, Michael Levi, says U.S. LNG Won’t Stop Russia From Using Natural Gas as a Weapon
“I have this image in my head of someone trying to use a piece of spaghetti as a sword when people talk about LNG as a weapon against Russia” says Levi.
WASHINGTON, DC – August 7, 2014 – Michael Levi, the David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and the Environment and Director of the Maurice R. Greenberg Center for Geoeconomic Studies, in a recent interview with OilPrice.com, strongly disparaged the idea that the U.S. can diminish Russian influence in the region by increasing LNG exports.
“I have this image in my head of someone trying to use a piece of spaghetti as a sword when people talk about LNG as a weapon against Russia. It doesn't go where you want to push it. You can allow LNG exports from the United States. They're going to go to where the price is best. Right now, the price is best in Asia, and there's a reason to anticipate that will continue to be the case,” said Levi.
“Shipments of American natural gas to Europe are simply not economically viable and the experts agree they will not happen. Rather than pursuing an export policy that will raise prices for American consumers and cost our economy good-paying jobs, we should provide our European allies with the technology to tap into their own massive gas reserves that lie beneath their feet.” said America’s Energy Advantage.
Levi also argued that the current market would prevent U.S. LNG exports from going to Europe. “If European buyers want to pay extra to get LNG from the United States rather than from Russia then maybe you'll see flows moving into Europe,” said Levi. During the interview, Levi also explained that U.S LNG export policy has little to do with this reality. “I don't see a significant appetite for that yet. That's why we're not seeing European contracts, not because of US regulations.”
The full interview can be viewed here.
About America's Energy Advantage
America’s Energy Advantage (AEA) is a trade association representing many of the world’s leading manufacturers and commodity producers, as well as the United States’ publicly-owned natural gas distribution companies. Our organization is a strong supporter of rules-based free trade and believes that open markets create new opportunities for economic growth and higher standards of living for all Americans. AEA is dedicated to educating the American public about the growth in American manufacturing that has been made possible by our country's abundant and affordable supply of natural gas.
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