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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Soviet Union and international oil politics

Book ·
OSTI ID:5238989

The role of the Soviet Union--world's largest producer of crude oil, possessor of world's largest reserves of natural gas, as well as a major exporter and importer of growing quantities of oil--has been almost completely neglected in literature on oil politics. This book attempts to remedy this imbalance. Today, oil is the strategic keystone of contemporary international trade relations, and this analysis uses political science to examine politicization of Soviet foreign trade and the use of oil as a political weapon aimed at for furthering Soviet foreign policy. Answers are sought for such questions as (1) why does the Soviet Union import both oil and natural gas if it is so rich in fuel resources; (2) did the Soviets reap any advantages from the Arab oil embargoes of 1967 and 1973-74; (3) how did the closure of the Suez Canal affect Soviet oil interests; (4) were Soviet energy policies in Siberia affected by the improvement in Sino-American relations; (5) has the Soviet Union made any political inroads through its oil sales to Third World states; (6) is it true that political relations between the Soviet Union and other states affect the price charged for Soviet oil; (7) and will the Soviet Union and the other CMEA states collectively become net importers of oil by 1980. The Soviet Union is the only major developed country not dependent on oil imports. Klinghoffer describes the size and location of the major oil fields, as well as the patterns of production and usage in the Soviet Union, but he is primarily concerned with the political consistency behind seemingly disparate Soviet economic policies toward oil. He tells the little-known history of Soviet oil sales to Israel when even American oil companies refused to sell to the young state, suggests that Soviet oil policy has deliberately kept Cuba industrially underdeveloped, and describes the stumbling blocks on the road to Japanese and American cooperation in developing Siberia, to give just three examples.

OSTI ID:
5238989
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English