Baker Institute for Public Policy
Permanent URI for this community
Founded in 1993, Rice University’s Baker Institute ranks among the top five university-affiliated think tanks in the world. As a premier nonpartisan think tank, the institute conducts research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. Learn more about the Baker Institute
here or search its full collection of publications at
the Institute's research library.
Browse
Browsing Baker Institute for Public Policy by Issue Date
Now showing 1 - 20 of 1531
Results Per Page
Sort Options
Item United States Policy Toward Islam and the Arc of Crisis(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1995) Djerejian, Edward P.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1995) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1995) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1995) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1995) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1996) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1996) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1996) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1996) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1996) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Regional Aspects of a Comprehensive Arab-Israeli Peace Settlement: Next Steps to Preserve and Promote the Peace Process(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1996) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1996) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Islam and Energy Sources in the Middle East(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1997) von der Mehden, Fred R.; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1997) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1997) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Energy Security(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1997) Soligo, Ronald; Jaffe, Amy Myers; Mieszkowski, Peter; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1997) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Baker Institute Report(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1997) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem The Americas Project: Free Trade and Reforms in the Hemisphere(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1997) James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyItem Pipelines and the Exploitation of Gas Reserves in the Middle East(James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, 1997) Brito, Dagobert L.; Sheshinkski, Eytan; James A. Baker III Institute for Public PolicyThe Middle East is endowed with approximately 20 percent of the worldメs proven reserves of natural gas in the world. The cost of transporting Middle Eastern gas, however, is so high that it is difficult to exploit it commercially outside the region. The European market for gas can be supplied in the foreseeable future from North Africa, Russia, the Transcaucaus region, and the North Sea. These suppliers have a significant locational advantage that dominates any edge that Middle Eastern gas may have in the cost of production. The high cost of transporting liquefied natural gas also limits the amount of Middle Eastern gas that can be sold to the Far East. Gas can be transported by pipeline or liquefied and then shipped by sea on special liquefied natural gas carriers. The cost of transporting 1000 cubic feet of gas 1000 miles by pipeline is approximately $.50. The cost of transporting 1000 cubic feet of LNG a distance of 1000 miles by sea is approximately $.30. However, the cost of liquefaction and regasification is approximately $1.40 per 1000 CF. Thus, for natural gas, transporting the energy equivalent of one barrel of oil a distance of 1000 miles costs $3.00 by pipeline and $10.20 if it is liquefied and transported by sea. By contrast, the cost of transporting a barrel of crude oil is approximately $.10 per thousand miles. Natural gas and oil are not perfect substitutes. Gas has environmental advantages and natural gas is a more efficient fuel in electricity generation. However, this advantage has been reduced by new oil fired combined cycle technologies; it is unlikely that in the long run the cost per kilowatt generated with gas can deviate far from the cost per kilowatt generated with oil. Natural gas and oil compete in the energy market. Thus Middle Eastern countries that produce oil are competing with their oil when they export gas. Selling gas reduces the market for oil. Producing LNG or producing middle level distillates at a cost of $10 to $20 a barrel does not make economic sense when the marginal cost of crude oil is under $1 a barrel. These activities can be way to avoid OPEC restrictions on crude production. Exceptions may be countries like Qatar, that have large endowments of natural gas and limited endowments of oil. It is not difficult to show that a rationalization of the OPEC cartel structure and some side payments within would lead to dominant strategies that would eliminate the export of gas from the Middle East to many markets. Paradoxically, the difficulty of exporting natural gas outside the Middle East creates an opportunity for the economic development of the region. Abundant energy at a very low cost would provide a stimulus for economic growth if the appropriate institutional and economic infrastructure can be developed.