WGC Paris set to tackle urgent energy challenges

With thousands of delegates already registered to attend, the 26th World Gas Conference is shaping up to be a pivotal event for the energy sector in 2015.

As one of the industry’s most important gatherings, the event has already attracted participation from more than 100 countries and 600 organisations, with delegates representing technical, engineering, strategic and
commercial disciplines.

The conference will address the major gas industry challenges facing the world today, including sustainability of supply, the role of gas as a transition fuel, the development and application of new technologies, and progress towards a comprehensive global energy mix. In the run-up to the event, IGU President Jérôme Ferrier has been touring the world, including visits to Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, to discuss these core issues with senior politicians and industry leaders. Their insight and expertise will feed directly into conference discussions and debates.

The triennial event has already generated a significant amount of research and innovation, with a record number of abstracts received (more than doubling those gathered for the 2012 World Gas Conference). Delegates will be invited to take advantage of the sheer wealth of experience available from industry leaders and innovators, and will gain a comprehensive understanding of key industry issues, new solutions, the assessment of risks and opportunities, and business strategies that will stimulate growth in their respective companies and countries.

With the economics of hydrocarbon exploration and production continuing to dominate the performance of global markets, the World Gas Conference will be the forum for a dynamic and wideranging
debate about the industry’s short-term prospects and long-term future. Delegates will be able to interact directly with key decision-makers in the industry, and have the opportunity to contribute to the discussion.

More than 435 speakers have already been confirmed to date, and the conference programme continues to develop to ensure that it addresses the industry’s most pressing issues. Confirmed speakers include Patrick Pouyanné, Chief Executive Officer, Total SA; Gérard Mestrallet, Chairman and CEO of GDF Suez; Sheikh Khalid Khalifa Al Thani, Chief Executive Officer, Qatargas; John S. Watson, Chairman of the Board, Chevron Corporation; Ben Van Beurden, Chief Executive Officer, Royal Dutch Shell plc; and Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi, Chief Executive Officer, RasGas Company Limited.

The event will set in context the industry’s challenges and opportunities in the global energy mix while also addressing wider social and economic development issues. This is especially important given the increasing demand for cleaner energy and the crucial importance of natural gas not only as a transition fuel but the foundation for stable, long-term energy security.

Jérôme Ferrier, President of the IGU, said: “The energy industry is already shaping the political and economic agenda for 2015 across the world. The 26th World Gas conference represents a rare opportunity for the global sector leadership to set out its ambitions for the gas industry and, more crucially, the role it can play in meeting the world’s most urgent development issues amid extraordinary energy market turbulence. The breadth and depth of the programme and the range of prestigious speakers reflects the significance of this event both for the industry and the energy sector more widely.

COP21 will potentially be the most important climate negotiations since Kyoto. Establishing the role that gas can play as a foundation for a more balanced and, ultimately, lower carbon global economy
could therefore not have greater urgency. Natural gas can increase energy market stability, reduce CO2 emissions and enhance the sustainability of supplies for communities around the world. But achieving this requires investment, innovation and public support. In 2015, through the World Gas Conference and COP 21, we have the opportunity to make progress against all of these crucial objectives.

The conference will feature discussions and debates on some of the most pressing issues and solutions within the gas industry today, including:

– Natural gas as a core pillar for a sustainable future of the planet;

– Gas, renewables and electricity;

– Natural gas as a growth factor for new economies;

– Human Capital for the future of the gas industry.

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Source: www.wgc2015.org