By the late 1950s, the Soviet Union had acquired a strong position as a world oil exporter, thanks to major discoveries in the Ural-Volga area. In order to transport their oil to strategic areas within the Union and to Europe, the Soviets devised a project to build a colossal pipeline system. This plan caused anxiety at NATO since Russian oil could be wielded as a weapon to weaken the West both...

HE BIGGEST increases in demand for oil and gas are occurring in the developing world, which is also where most of the world’s proven oil and gas reserves are located. International energy companies—investors, equipment suppliers, contractors, and consulting firms—are therefore shifting their attention from Europe and North America to developing countries, which are likely to offer more business...

Increasing oil transportation and severe oil accidents in the past have led to the development of various sensitivity maps in different countries all over the world. Often, however, the areas presented on the maps are far too large to be safeguarded with the available oil combating equipment and prioritization is required to decide which areas must be safeguarded. While oil booms can be applied...