Chapter 2 introduces the theoretical framework of the book. It examines the concept of energy security, problematizing the notion of ‘security’. It then turns to address the question of what it means to understand energy as a security issue, examining the existing debate and the lack of progress in analysing the ethics of security. Drawing on pragmatism and the practice turn, it argues that rather than developing abstract theoretical criteria for judging when security is ‘good’ or ‘bad’, we need to study how security works in empirical contexts. Thus, it argues that energy security practices have to be studied in context to understand their value.