The Scramble for Energy Resources Picks Up

China’s completion of a historic natural gas pipeline with Kazakhstan -- bypassing Russia this week -- tightens the Asian behemoth’s grip on energy resources needed to fuel a burgeoning economy, a desire also forcing it on a quest for oil and gas wealth in other corners of the globe.

China isn’t alone in this scramble for energy security. Hungry for oil and gas, world powers like Russia and the United States are also relying on different strategies to grab resource treasures, but their efforts have raised questions about conflicts down the road.