Pipeline explosions have raised a few eyebrows in the Middle
East as of late. Numerous explosions have caused a delay in the transfer of
much needed gas and the effects have put Israeli and Egyptian pipeline security forces on
high alert.
The pipeline, which runs directly through the Sinai desert, transfers gas to Israel as well as Jordan. It also carries a political edge and
has sparked animosity with some Egyptian officials who feel that Israel doesn’t
pay enough for it. Tensions have grown fierce along the pipeline routes and
fingers are consistently pointed in both directions.
In the article from the Jerusalem Post, the author gives a
brief account of the explosive activity within Egyptian borders. There is
not much detail apart from the issue of recurrence, and the emphasis of Bedouin
patrols hired by the Egyptian government.
The author keeps his account short and to the point, and limits the amount of detail apart
from the pipeline being run by Gasco, a subsidiary of EGAS.
Even though the article states that Egyptian officials will
be arming the pipeline with a remote alarm system and beefing up security with
Bedouin forces, it neglects to inform the reader where exactly this pipeline
runs and also whether or not a suspect has ever been apprehended.
With further research, one can assess there is more
information to be had on the subjects of who, where, when and why.
First, The Who: EGAS which began in 2001 is the state
owned licensee and distributor of natural gas within Egypt and is responsible
for making sure new projects are completed and communities are better supplied
with the appropriate amounts of gas. EGAS is run by Gasco which is
responsible for refining the gasoline and making sure it gets to the proper
distributions sites. 40% of all Israeli power consumption comes from natural
gas and that number jumps to 80% when referring to Jordan.
The Where: The Sinai, located in the north of Egypt,
has long been considered a place of turmoil for both neglected Bedouin
populations and attacks on Israelis. It runs along the southern Israeli border
and shares that division with northern Egypt.
The pipeline V’s off from the Sinai and heads north, sending one arm of
petrol into Jerusalem, and the other arm along Israel’s eastern border into
Jordan, clear up through Amman. Al-Arish, the largest Egyptian town on
the Mediterranean, is just a few miles down from Al-Massaeed where the blast
took place.
The When: There have
been a reported 12 attacks. This is the first attack on the pipeline for 2012. Eleven previous attacks occurred in 2011. Security forces within the Egyptian interior are spotty at best, and
the pipeline is not wholly protected until it reaches the Israeli border. Prior to the current issues that have arisen in Iran, Israelis were paying $4 for a gallon of gas. That number has now risen to $9. Jordan, has also seen its gas prices double since October 2011.
Finally, The Why:
Reports say the attack occurred after an Islamic Leader died in a Cairo
prison. The crumbling Egyptian regime that saw the ousting of President Hosni
Mubarak has had poor security response issues because of a reduction in its security force. This, along with high tensions over the agreement previously made with Israel, regarding the amount Egypt charges them for natural gas, have delayed a swift resolution. The agreement, signed in 2008 is
supposed to allow Israel to purchase gas at a very decent price through the
year 2023. New government policies and officials have recently been trying to amend
these agreements to keep the gas flowing.
Egypt, who employs heavily armed Bedouin tribes to secure
the pipeline has also experienced heightened conflict along that border in the
past with smuggling of arms and attacks against Israel, which have made
negotiations more difficult.
No suspects have been
apprehended at this time but the potential damage to Israeli infrastructure and
its partner Jordan, are the most concerning for both countries. Gas delays in both
nations can sometimes go weeks without any solutions.
Overall, the issue of Pipeline attacks and written
correspondence requires the reporter to view many sources in order to relay the
correct facts. Being that the attacks
are generally within the Egyptian boarders, it is critical to make proper assessments
on the causes and effects of such explosions before the transmission of any
information has occurred. Both political and national concerns play a heavy
roll in the flow of natural gas from the Sinai. More information can be found in the Egypt Independent.
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