Adapting to a New Energy Era - December 2013 Workshop

On Wednesday, December 11, 2013, the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR) hosted an invitation-only workshop, Adapting to a New Energy Era, in Washington, D.C.

World energy markets have undergone a seismic shift in the past ten years, driven by the unexpected boom in U.S. and Canadian production of shale gas, tight oil, and heavy oil. These changes have accelerated an already steady decline in U.S. imports of Middle East oil and gas. At the same time, China, Japan, and the rest of Asia have emerged as major importers of oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf.

Given these broad changes in both energy markets and global strategic priorities, and as the United States continues its rebalancing to Asia, there is an urgent need for the United States and Asian countries to revamp their energy security strategies for stabilizing the Gulf region.

With this in mind, panel discussions examined:

• Current U.S. and Asian energy security strategies for oil and LNG supply security, and how the policy and economic considerations that underlie these strategies are changing

• Prospects for the United States to reduce its geopolitical footprint in the Middle East and scenarios for how Japan, South Korea, China, and other states might respond

• Existing global and regional energy markets and institutions, and possible new or enhanced arrangements that might strengthen Asia’s energy security

• How the United States and Japan can work more closely with states in the Asia-Pacific toward a coordinated strategic policy to enhance Gulf stability and the security of oil and LNG transport

• Likely resource and commitment requirements for the United States, Japan, and other states in Asia to achieve common goals

Agenda and Speaker Bios

Agenda | Speaker Biographies

Speakers

Ambassador Ahn Ho-Young, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to the United States of America

Minister Yasushi Akahoshi, Embassy of Japan in the United States of America

Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., House of Representatives, United States

Kent Calder, Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University

Robert F. Cekuta, U.S. Department of State

Edward Chow, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Bernard Cole, National Defense University

Tom Cutler, Cutler International

Abraham M. Denmark, The National Bureau of Asian Research

Clara Gillispie, The National Bureau of Asian Research

David Gordon, Eurasia Group

Mikkal E. Herberg, The National Bureau of Asian Research

Roy Kamphausen, The National Bureau of Asian Research

Ambassador Ahmad Tariq A. Karim, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India

Geoffrey Kemp, Center for the National Interest

Takashi Kume , Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan

Ambassador Richard LeBaron, Atlantic Council

Meredith Miller, The National Bureau of Asian Research

Yu Nagatom, Institute of Energy Economics, Japan

Robert Price , International Risk Strategies

Kei Shimogori , Institute of Energy Economics, Japan

James Slutz, Global Energy Strategies LLC

Nikos Tsafos, PFC Energy – an IHS company

Wang Zhen, China University of Petroleum at Beijing

Sponsor

This initiative is made possible by the generous sponsorship of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation.