I-EU Ishintshela Ukugxila Ku-US LNG Njengoba Ukuthengwa Kwegesi YaseRussia Kuncipha

Eminyakeni yamuva nje, i-European Union ibilokhu isebenza ukuhlukanisa imithombo yayo yamandla nokunciphisa ukuthembela kwayo kugesi waseRussia. Lokhu kushintsha kwesu kuye kwabangelwa yizici eziningana, okuhlanganisa ukukhathazeka ngokungezwani kwezepolitiki kanye nesifiso sokunciphisa ukukhishwa kwekhabhoni. Njengengxenye yalo mzamo, i-EU iya ngokuya iphendukela e-United States ukuze ithole igesi yemvelo encibilikisiwe (LNG).

Ukusetshenziswa kwe-LNG kuye kwanda ngokushesha eminyakeni yamuva nje, njengoba intuthuko kwezobuchwepheshe yenze kwaba lula futhi konga imali ukuthutha igesi ebangeni elide. I-LNG igesi yemvelo epholile yaba sesimweni soketshezi, okunciphisa umthamo wayo ngesilinganiso esingu-600. Lokhu kwenza kube lula kakhulu ukuyithutha nokuyigcina, njengoba ingathunyelwa ngamathangi amakhulu futhi igcinwe emathangini amancane.

Enye yezinzuzo eziyinhloko ze-LNG ukuthi ingatholakala ezindaweni eziningi ezahlukene. Ngokungafani negesi yepayipi yendabuko, enqunyelwe indawo, i-LNG ingakhiqizwa noma kuphi futhi ithunyelwe kunoma iyiphi indawo enechweba. Lokhu kwenza kube inketho ekhangayo emazweni afuna ukuhlukanisa amandla awo.

Ku-European Union, ukushintshela ku-US LNG kunemiphumela ebalulekile. Ngokomlando, iRussia ibilokhu ingumhlinzeki omkhulu wegesi yemvelo e-EU, ikhiqiza cishe u-40% wazo zonke izinto ezingeniswayo. Kodwa-ke, ukukhathazeka ngethonya lezepolitiki nezomnotho leRussia kuye kwaholela amazwe amaningi e-EU ukuba afune eminye imithombo yegesi.

I-United States ivele njengomdlali obalulekile kule makethe, ngenxa yokunikezwa kwayo okuningi kwegesi yemvelo kanye nokukhula komthamo wayo wokuthumela ngaphandle kwe-LNG. Ngo-2020, i-US yayingumhlinzeki wesithathu ngobukhulu we-LNG kwi-EU, ngemuva kweQatar neRussia kuphela. Kodwa-ke, lokhu kulindeleke ukuthi kushintshe eminyakeni ezayo njengoba ukuthunyelwa kwamanye amazwe e-US kuqhubeka nokukhula.

Esinye sezizathu eziyinhloko zalokhu kukhula ukuqedwa kwezikhungo ezintsha zokuthumela i-LNG e-US Eminyakeni yamuva nje, kuye kwafika izikhungo ezintsha eziningana, okuhlanganisa nesiteshi i-Sabine Pass eLouisiana kanye nesiteshi i-Cove Point eMaryland. Lezi zikhungo zikhulise kakhulu umthamo wokuthumela i-US kwamanye amazwe, okwenza kube lula ngezinkampani zaseMelika ukuthengisa i-LNG ezimakethe zaphesheya. 

Esinye isici esibangela ukushintshela ku-US LNG ukwanda kokuncintisana kwamanani kaphethiloli waseMelika. Ngenxa yentuthuko kwezobuchwepheshe bokubhoboza, ukukhiqizwa kwegesi yemvelo e-US kuye kwanda eminyakeni yamuva nje, kwehlisa amanani futhi kwenza igesi yaseMelika ikhange kakhulu kubathengi baphesheya kwezilwandle. Ngenxa yalokho, amazwe amaningi e-EU manje asephendukela ku-US LNG njengendlela yokunciphisa ukuthembela kwawo kuphethiloli waseRussia ngenkathi futhi ethola ukunikezwa kwamandla okungabizi okuthembekile.

Sekukonke, ukushintshela ku-US LNG kumele ushintsho olukhulu emakethe yamandla yomhlaba wonke. Njengoba amazwe amaningi ephendukela ku-LNG njengendlela yokwehlukanisa imithombo yawo yamandla, isidingo salo mafutha cishe sizoqhubeka nokukhula. Lokhu kunemiphumela ebalulekile kokubili kubakhiqizi nakubathengi begesi yemvelo, kanye nasemnothweni womhlaba wonke.

Ekuphetheni, nakuba ukuthembela kwe-European Union kugesi waseRussia kungase kwehla, isidingo sayo samandla athembekile futhi angabizi sisalokhu sinamandla njengakuqala. Ngokuphendukela ku-US LNG, i-EU ithatha isinyathelo esibalulekile sokushintshashintsha ukuphakelwa kwayo kwamandla nokuqinisekisa ukuthi inokufinyelela emthonjeni othembekile kaphethiloli eminyakeni ezayo.