Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to promoting energy security of European allies through opening up the Southern Gas Corridor.

Whereas reducing vulnerabilities of European allies to gas supply disruption and to this end development of multiple sources of gas is a key component of efforts to ensure European energy security; Whereas diversification of sources of gas and the routes of their delivery will increase competitiveness in the European market and will help stabilize European and global energy prices; Whereas the Caspian Sea region strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and the Middle East holds significant energy resources and proven natural gas reserves of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are estimated at 735 trillion cubic feet or about 11 percent of the world’s reserves; Whereas oil and gas exports from the Caspian Sea region are projected to more than double over the next 25 years; Whereas it is the policy of the United States in the countries of the South Caucasus and Central Asia to assist in the development of infrastructure necessary for energy and trade on an East-West axis in order to build strong international relations and commerce between those countries; Whereas Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia have worked collaboratively with the United States, European allies, and other regional partners to jointly develop and promote energy projects in the Caspian Sea region for almost two decades; Whereas energy exploration in this region is a remarkable example of international cooperation with over 34 companies representing 15 countries, including the United States engaged in these projects; Whereas successive United States Administrations supported development of energy resources in the Caspian Sea region, including construction of the landmark Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline that are main arteries delivering Caspian energy resources to global markets; Whereas further energy exploration in the Caspian Sea region and its westward exports will reduce the dependence of United States allies on energy from the volatile Middle East region; Whereas the priority now becomes the realization of the Southern Gas Corridor to deliver additional volumes of natural gas from the Caspian Sea region to European markets; Whereas the Republic of Azerbaijan-European Union Joint Declaration of January 13, 2011, established the Republic of Azerbaijan as a substantial contributor to, and enabler of, the Southern Gas Corridor; Whereas at the third meeting of their bilateral Economic Partnership Commission convened in Washington, DC, on April 18, 2012, the United States and the Republic of Azerbaijan reaffirmed the importance of a high-level dialogue on energy security in the Caspian region to discuss issues of mutual interest in the energy sector, including establishment of the Southern Gas Corridor; Whereas the European Union-United States Energy Council at its fourth meeting in Brussels on December 5, 2012, noted progress on the realization of the Southern Gas Corridor and reaffirmed that it remains a pivotal opportunity to diversify supply and allow new providers to participate in the European Union energy market; Whereas the off-shore Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan is one of the world’s largest gas-condensate fields, with over 30 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas and 240 million tons of condensate deposits; Whereas development of the second phase of the Shah Deniz project, which is a stepping stone in opening the Southern Gas Corridor will deliver the first sizeable quantities of alternative gas to European markets from the Caspian Sea region; Whereas the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) project launched by Azerbaijan and Turkey will be a key part of the Southern Gas Corridor linking the gas resources of the Caspian Sea to the European markets; Whereas the two possible Southern Gas Corridor routes, Nabucco West, which would run from Turkey through Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary to Austria, and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, which would run from Turkey through Greece and Albania to Italy, will improve regional energy stability, as well as advance overall regional development and prosperity; Whereas the Southern Gas Corridor complements other efforts by the European Union to diversify its sources of gas supply; Whereas realization of the Shah Deniz and these projects will help open up upstream development in the regions beyond Europe's southeastern frontiers; Whereas these energy projects have stimulated social and economic progress in the region, promoting friendly relations and economic cooperation among regional countries; Whereas the development of natural gas resources and building of new routes to European markets for energy producers in the South Caucasus and in Central Asia will further provide economic development and consolidate political independence of these countries; and Whereas apart from establishing direct energy and transport links between Europe and the countries of the Caspian region, these projects ensure Western orientation of these nations, help promote market-oriented principles and practices, and further contribute to their integration with the European and Euro-Atlantic institutions: Now, therefore, be it That— (1) the House of Representatives— (A) notes that further energy exploration in the Caspian Sea region will enhance energy security of European allies; (B) affirms that it is in the national interest of the United States to support and enhance Europe’s energy security by opening up the Southern Gas Corridor; and (C) encourages the Administration to continue to actively engage with the Governments of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, and other regional partners to provide support for new and ongoing projects; and (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that it is in the national interest of the United States to support and enhance Europe's energy security by working with the Governments of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia and its partners to make available additional gas and oil supplies to that market in a cost effective and secure manner.

Summary: Notes that further energy exploration in the Caspian Sea region will enhance the energy security of European allies. Affirms that it is in the U.S. national interest to support Europe's energy security by opening up the Southern Gas Corridor. Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that it is in the U.S. national interest to support Europe's energy security by working with the governments of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and other regional partners to make available additional gas and oil supplies to that market in a cost effective and secure manner.