U.S. considers how to use natural gas resources in Ukraine crisis : top official | Reuters

U.S. considers how to use natural gas resources in Ukraine crisis: top official
▻http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/06/us-ukraine-crisis-usa-lng-idUSBREA251X220140306

It is not clear what exactly the U.S. government could do in the short-term to help, since new projects to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the country’s vast new shale fields are still years away.

Natural Gas as a Diplomatic Tool
▻http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/07/opinion/natural-gas-as-a-diplomatic-tool.html

In response to the crisis in Ukraine, some American lawmakers and energy companies are urging the United States to export natural gas to Europe in an effort to undercut Russia’s influence over the Continent. The Obama administration should move to increase exports, which would help allies like Germany, Turkey and Britain, but the effects of such exports would likely be modest and wouldn’t be realized for several years.

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The department could speed up its review of export applications, and Congress could help by easing restrictions on exports to American allies. But even if the government approved more exports, setting up more facilities to liquefy and ship gas would take years and cost billions of dollars. Moreover, unlike Mr. Putin, American officials will not be able to dictate to energy companies where they sell their gas and at what price. (Energy companies would prefer to sell gas to countries like Japan, China and India because natural gas is more expensive in Asia than in Europe.)