1.

What is petroleum and energy security in the petroleum sector

Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring
yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological
formations. The name petroleum covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crude oil
and petroleum products that consist of refined crude oil.
The IEA defines energy security as the uninterrupted availability of energy sources
at an affordable price. Energy security is synonymous with ensuring a continuous,
uninterrupted energy supply to meet the development needs of each economy and is a
top priority in ensuring the sustainable development of each country in the world. Energy
security is not only about searching, exploiting, and using natural energy sources that are
gradually depleting in a cost-effective and efficient manner but also includes research and
development activities for new energy sources to maintain energy supply in the future,
and must ensure environmental protection work.
Security of oil is a core issue of energy security and is a somewhat more complex
issue in global political activities because most countries rely heavily on oil supply
worldwide. Therefore, oil security must be considered based on an overall strategy of
political and economic relations worldwide. Due to its special strategic commodity
nature, oil has become a type of weapon in conflicts over politics and international
diplomacy. It is a major strategic issue, with coefficients related to national and
international security.
2. Current situation of petroleum production and consumption and the impacts of
petroleum nowadays.
2.1. Production and consumption status.
At the end of the 19th century, the emergence of the internal combustion
engine supplanted coal and elevated petroleum and its products to a dominant
position among energy sources. Oil and gas extraction has become a key sector for
many countries. Each year, the global oil and gas production plays a crucial role in
ensuring the energy supply for the world. Major oil-producing countries such as
Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United States, China, and Canada often contribute
significantly to the global oil and gas output.
Since its discovery, petroleum has been utilized to produce and supply
countless goods for humans. Oil serves as the fuel for all modes of transportation,
and it is also used in the petrochemical industry to manufacture plastics and various
other products. It can be said that petroleum is strongly influencing human life. For
a country, the economy can stagnate or face crises if it lacks petroleum. With such
importance, the demand and consumption of oil each year are also very high. Below
is a chart comparing the production and consumption of oil from 2010 to 2022:
 100

95

90

85

80

75
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

Consumption (mb/d) Production (mb/d)

Looking at the chart, we can see that the amount of oil consumption and oil
production increases each year. Although, during the 2019-2020 period, oil
consumption and production decreased significantly due to the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic, but in 2021, as the pandemic was brought under control, the
economy showed signs of recovery, and oil consumption and production also
increased again. But we can also see that in this period, the amount of oil consumed
is greater than the amount of oil produced. If this situation continues, the oil
reserves of many countries will be depleted, oil prices will rise sharply, the supply
chain will be disrupted, and most seriously, an energy crisis will occur.
2.2. The impacts of petroleum
The benefits from oil and its products are significant. Our lives today have become
easier and more convenient thanks to the benefits that oil brings. However, the
negative issues that the oil-related brings are not few.
First, the activities of oil extraction, production, and consumption generate a large
amount of greenhouse gases, mainly CO2 and CH4. Greenhouse gases are the main
factors leading to climate change, global warming, and a significant decline in air
quality. Below is a chart showing the amount of CH4 gas emissions in the energy
sector and the amount of CO2 emissions from fuels and various industries:
 Besides the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, oil spills are also a matter of
concern. Oil spills cause pollution to water sources, soil, seriously affecting the
ecosystem, killing various species of birds, fish, and plants. Oil spills degrade the
aesthetic landscape and reduce oil supply, causing significant economic losses.
Below is a chart showing the number of oil spill incidents and the amount of oil
spilled each year from 2010-2022:
 Not only affecting the environment, oil also leads to economic interest
disputes, complex political activities, and military conflicts. Oil is a non-renewable
energy source, countries heavily rely on this energy source, so owning abundant oil
reserves will enhance a country's position and serve as a strategy to attract many
economic-political relationships. However, many countries owning abundant oil
reserves have become battlefields for conflicts, endless civil wars, and complex
political situations. Especially in the current situation, the oil reserves are decreasing
rapidly, predicted to be depleted within the next 50 years at the current extraction
rate, the supply is reduced due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, these issues
are becoming increasingly intense.
3. Measures to ensure the security of oil and gas energy.
Although countries are currently facing climate change and complex political
situations, ensuring a stable oil supply remains a critical issue. If the oil supply chain is
disrupted, it can cause significant damage to the economy and potentially complicate
the political situation further. Faced with such immense pressure, countries are all
striving to research and find solutions to ensure an uninterrupted oil supply:
 Boost exploration, exploitation, and efficient oil production.
 Diversify energy sources, search for and develop alternative energy sources,
especially renewable energy.
 Enhance international cooperation on technology development and economic
cooperation.
 Increase oil reserves and other energy sources.
 Use electric vehicles instead of gasoline-powered ones.