Some of the designs are etched into the desert sand like intricate spiderwebs. Others wind through African jungles like giant serpents, transforming pristine landscapes into conduits of profit, constructed from metal, plastic, and cement. Pipes, endless pipes, stretching for thousands of kilometers, even reaching beneath the sea. Europe’s thirst for oil and gas has intensified, especially since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war—whether that conflict drags on for months or years ...