The Caspian region accounts for 2% to 3% of the world’s known oil resources – about equal to that of North Sea oil. While far smaller than the deposits in Saudi Arabia or Iran, Caspian oil could prove important if oil production falls or is reduced for political reasons elsewhere.
过渡的结果如何至关重要，究其原因有以下几点。首先，中亚地区是重要的能源来源。与北海地区的油储量一样，里海地区的石油储量占世界总储量的2%到3%。尽管与沙特阿拉伯或伊朗相比不可同日而语，但在其他地方石油产量下降或受到政治因素影响的情况下，里海地区石油资源的重要性就能够充分地显现出来。