The 21st Century threat: global energy terrorism

As Canada becomes the key to America’s energy security, we remain woefully unprepared for the kind of sabotage that role risks

by Dan Crawford

A report on the “Top 10 Financial Risks” was released by Goldman Sachs on February 9. The report itself was drawn from a survey held at a conference in September 2005 with over 250 participants from the business community. The results showed that the number one concern (at 80%) was the world oil supply, demand for oil, and the price of oil. Followed at 66% was the threat of global terrorism.

Missing was the combination of these two concerns, a threat which is slowly becoming the greatest possible to our energy-dependent society: global energy terrorism.

Occurrences of this type of terrorism are taking place around the world. Georgia and Armenia are the most recent examples, although questions still remain as to who was responsible for the sabotage of their pipeline and electricity tower.

The effectiveness of these attacks, which took place on January 22, 2006, cut the countries off from their natural gas supplies and electricity for over a week, all at a time when both countries were experiencing a dramatic cold snap. Thousands of people went without heat and electricity during these sub-zero temperatures.

Nigeria and Ecuador are other examples where insurgents are sabotaging the energy industries in their own countries as a means of protest.

Hundreds of protestors in Ecuador on February 7, 2006 seized a pumping station, causing state-run Petroecuador to shut down one of its two main pipelines. Back in August of 2005, protestors managed to shut down nearly all of Ecuador’s oil production. Nigeria has faced similar shutdowns with their oil production in recent months, caused by both protestors and insurgents.

Closer to home, an article appearing in The Province on January 20, with the headline “Al Qaeda Targets Alaskan Pipeline,” states that BC’s energy sector is on heightened alert after an al Qaeda-affiliated internet blog called on Canadian and US jihadists to attack an Alaskan oil pipeline.

A very significant percentage of North America’s oil, natural gas, and electricity originates in both British Columbia and Alberta. The infrastructure used to deliver these energy supplies are highly exposed and easily accessible, making them ideal targets for sabotage.

For example, the Columbia River Basin—the most hydroelectrically developed river system in the world—has more than 400 dams in place, 11 of which are major run-of-the-river style dams on the mainstream. The generating capacity from the basin is more than 21 million kilowatts.

Imagine the impact if one or two of the top-most level dams, where the basin flows originate, were to be breached. The flooding waters resulting from these breaks could have disastrous cascading effects on everything downstream, from towns and fields to the hundreds of dams not designed to support exceptional water surges. The impact this would have on the North American electrical grid would be enormous. Widespread blackouts would be experienced throughout entire states and provinces. How would such a disaster be addressed? What would the timeline be for repair, and would it even be possible? How many lives would be lost?

To take this thought one step further, what if the main pipelines in Alberta were to be compromised at the same time as the dams? The most effective and plausible attack would be at points where pipelines either cross each other or meet. The natural gas storage facilities would be the most likely targets—locations of which are readily available online. Taking these down could theoretically knock out over 70% of Canada’s oil and gas production.

These two simultaneous events would literally knock North America to its knees. It would result in the worst energy crisis ever to be experienced on this continent. The overall effectiveness of it would demonstrate how vulnerable developed countries are to energy sabotage, which could very likely motivate more such attacks, both domestically and in other developed nations.

Canada is already the main energy supplier to the US. George Bush recently made his now-famous statement that “Americans are addicted to Middle East oil,” which makes it abundantly clear that Canada will be playing an ever-increasing role in providing US energy security. This trend will no doubt make Canada’s energy infrastructure even more of a target in the years ahead—especially by those who view the US as an enemy.

Unfortunately, as we begin the 21st century, many Canadians are completely unaware of potential attacks and inadequately prepared to handle them. In fact, we have been lulled into a false sense of security, armed as we are with our electric can-openers and cans of Spaghettios.

Will the country wait until an attack occurs before addressing the issue, or be proactive and educate its citizens on how to manage such a crisis in advance?

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