Introduction

This is an English summary of a thesis defended at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (February 2005). The thesis consists in setting a framework for the energy security analysis. The core hypothesis is that the energy security can not be defined in purely rational terms. Instead, the energy security is related to the perceptions, images and norms existing in international relations. The energy security is based on considerations of threats, which are not linearly linked to the real perils.