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Anenergy superpower is a country that supplies large amounts of energyresources (crude oil,natural gas,coal, etc.) to a significant number of other countries - and therefore has the potential toinfluence world markets for political or economic gains. Energy superpower status might be exercised, for example, by significantly influencing theprice on global markets or by withholding supplies. Nowadays,[when?] the term "energy superpower" is increasingly used to characterize nations at the forefront ofenergy transition and the development ofrenewable energy resources.[1][2][3]
The term "energy superpower" lacks a precise scholarly definition and is primarily a political term. It is not a concept rooted in rigorous academic or scientific categorization but rather a label used inpolitical discourse to describe countries that wield significant influence in the global energy landscape. This term is subject to interpretation;and can be applied differently by individuals and organizations - depending on their specific agenda or perspectives. As a result, the meaning and applicability of the term "energy superpower" may vary.
As of 2024, theUnited States is the world's leading producer of total energy, leading producer ofpetroleum, leading producer ofliquefied natural gas (LNG), and leading exporter of LNG.[4][5]
Russia is widely recognized as an energy superpower.[6][7][8][better source needed]Other nations that have, at different points in time, earned this designation includeSaudi Arabia,[9]Canada,[10]Venezuela,[10] andIran.,[11][12]German Empire.
Thediscourses surrounding Russia's energy wealth play a crucial role inVladimir Putin's attempts to restore Russia'sgreat power status. Some scholars have noted that, although Putin may avoid explicitly using the term "superpower," the idea of Russia as an energy superpower is an integral part of theideology developed by his regime.[13][14][15] This idea emphasizes Russia's significant role in the global energy landscape and frames it as a key player in international politics. However, Russia's status of an energy superpower and the strategic implications it carries have been called into question by many experts. AsVladimir Milov, of theCarnegie Endowment for International Peace, says:
The "energy superpower" concept is an illusion with no basis in reality. Perhaps most dangerously, it doesn’t recognize the mutualdependence between Russia and energy consumers. Because of political conflicts and declining production, future supply disruptions to Europe are likely. As a result, European gas companies may likely someday demand elimination of the take-or-pay conditions in their Russian contracts. This would threatenGazprom’s ability to borrow. Putin’s attempt to use energy to increase Russian influence could backfire in the long run.[16]
Vladimir Mau,Aleksei Kudrin,German Gref, and many other Russian economists compare Russia'sdependence on energy exports with a severe drug addiction and even use the “sitting on the oil needle” metaphor to describeRussia's economic development in the 2000s and the 2010s.[13]
In the mid-2010s, former Prime Minister of Canada,Stephen Harper, asserted that Canada should be considered an energy superpower. By advertising Canada as an oil supplier on the international level, Harper defined it as a “reliable producer in a volatile unpredictable world” who can offer its oil-thirsty partners “a transparent regulatory system and a commitment toopen markets”.[17] This viewpoint found support amongconservative political activists and public intellectuals, such asEzra Levant, the author ofEthical Oil (2011). However, scholars,[18][19][20][21]Indigenous peoples' organisations and activists,[22] and environmental activists, including such prominent Canadian environmentalists asAndrew Nikiforuk[23] andDavid Suzuki,[24][25] contested representations of Canada as an energy superpower. These critics raised concerns about the environmental footprint ofCanada's oil sands (e.g.,tailing ponds,air pollution and deforestation) in the context ofclimate change, as well as socio-economic factors such as the potential repercussions on local communities, the equitable distribution of economic benefits, and the overall social implications of prioritizing the oil industry.
In 2025, the current Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, reasserted Canada's position as an "energy superpower" and the need for Canada to develop its production capacity in "clean and conventional energy sources"[26], as well as overseas export capacity. This marks a break in posture from the previous Trudeau administration (2015-2025), which Trudeau once characterized as wanting Canada to be known globally "not for its resources, but for its resourcefulness."[27] The posture of Carney's administration is viewed as a way to attract investment into Canada's economy, and reduce dependence on the United States in response to United States' tariffs during the second Trump administration. Energy projects under construction in Canada include doubling the production capacity of Canada's largest LNG export terminal in Kitimat[28], and a recently announced memorandum of understanding between the province of Alberta and the Federal Government of Canada laying the conditions for a new oil pipeline to be built between Alberta and the west coast of British Columbia.[29]
Iran is widely regarded as an energy superpower due to its immensenatural resources, including some of the world’s largest provenoil reserves, estimated at 157 billion barrels, and the second-largest reserves of natural gas. ItsSouth Pars gas field, one of the largest in the world, underscores the country’s pivotal role in global energy markets. Despite facingsanctions Iran’s energy infrastructure remains robust, and the country has significant potential to boost oil and gas production and exports. With its strategic location in the Middle East, Iran is well-positioned to become a key energy player, not just regionally but globally, offering a vital supply of energy to neighboring countries and beyond.[30][31][32][33]
In the 2000s, Venezuela was widely described as a new energy superpower. For example, Manik Talwani, a geophysicist atRice University, argued in 2007 that Venezuela will likely to join Saudi Arabia in attaining the status of energy superpower.[10] Citing its enormouspotential reserves (1.2 trillion potential barrels), Talwani claimed that Venezuela will become an energy superpower in the next few decades asoil production declines elsewhere. However,Venezuela's descent into economic and political chaos has become a cautionary tale about the complexities of managing resource wealth in developing countries. The country's situation serves as a stark reminder of the challenges and potential pitfalls associated with overreliance on natural resources, particularly oil, for economic development.[34][35]
As a leadingproducer andexporter of crude oil, Saudi Arabia has substantial influence over the global oil market and has been labeled as an energy superpower. The country has the capacity to produce and exportsignificant volumes of crude oil, making it a linchpin in the global oil supply chain. Saudi Arabia is a founding member of theOrganization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), an intergovernmental organization that plays a central role in setting oil production andpricing policies. As a leading OPEC member, Saudi Arabia has the ability to influence oil production quotas, which directly affects global oil prices.
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