Abstract:

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 triggered an unprecedented energy crisis in Europe, radically altering the academic discourse surrounding the continent’s energy transition. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature published between 2021 and 2024 to evaluate the effects of this geopolitical shock on the European oil and gas sector. Utilizing PRISMA protocols alongside science mapping tools (Biblioshiny and VOSviewer), the research identifies a massive surge in publications directly correlated with natural gas price spikes. The findings reveal a “structural paradox” within the European response: an immediate, short-term regression to fossil fuels (LNG and coal) to ensure survival, running parallel to a geopolitically driven acceleration of long-term decarbonization policies (REPowerEU). Ultimately, this study demonstrates that the academic narrative has profoundly shifted from treating the energy transition as an ecological challenge to framing it as an urgent matter of national security.