US energy policy passed a milestone of sorts earlier this month after two companies revealed they had been given permission by the US commerce department to export “condensate”, an ultra-light form of oil, after minimal processing. Unfortunately the broader ban on US crude oil exports imposed after the 1970s Arab oil embargo remains in place. The White House was quick to clarify that the permissions were exceptional. Similar if somewhat less restrictive inhibitions apply to the export of US liquefied natural gas – the fruits of its hydraulic fracking boom. Barack Obama’s administration is resisting the European Union’s demand to include an energy chapter in the transatlantic trade and investment partnership. He should think again. If TTIP is to fulfil anything close to its ambitions, it must tackle energy. Add in the threat Vladimir Putin poses to Europe’s energy security and the case looks unanswerable. The time has come to put an end to US energy protectionism.
这个月初，美国的能源政策跨越了一个勉强算是里程碑的里程碑。两家公司透露，它们获得了美国商务部的许可，可以出口“凝析油”，一种经过最少加工程序获得的超轻质油。不幸的是，美国在20世纪70年代阿拉伯石油禁运后实行的更广泛的原油出口禁令依然有效。白宫方面迅速出面澄清，称这些许可只是例外。对于水力压裂(hydraulic fracking)技术的大力推广带来的液化天然气，也存在类似的出口禁令，只不过限制程度或许稍低一些。巴拉克•奥巴马(Barack Obama)的政府正在抵制欧盟(EU)将能源纳入《跨大西洋贸易与投资伙伴关系协定》(TTIP)的要求。奥巴马应该三思。如果TTIP真的想要达成目标，就必须解决能源问题。再加上俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔•普京(Vladimir Putin)对欧洲能源安全形成的威胁，这样做的理由看上去就更无可辩驳了。是时候终结美国的能源保护主义了。