Conference agenda

The Commission’s view on Europe’s energy transition towards a Fit for 55' strategy. Alongside gas and LNG, how will electric, hydrogen and nuclear contribute to the future energy mix in achieving the net zero agenda. 

As organisations strive to meet climate targets, unprecedented tightness in global energy markets and ongoing geopolitical turmoil have exposed vulnerabilities in the global energy supply chain. With supply disruptions set to continue, how can industry leaders formulate realistic, resilient and affordable strategies that ensure security of supply and satisfy the dual priorities of immediate energy needs and longer-term decarbonisation goals?

While support for the net zero agenda is approaching critical mass, the role of natural gas in delivering a carbon neutral energy mix remains contentious.  During this opening keynote discussion, ministers from the world’s leading energy economies will assess the global policy landscape. What more can be done to persuade governments of the merits of natural gas, and LNG as transition fuels? How can the international community collaborate to ensure the global south isn’t left behind in the race to decarbonise? And who should take the initiative in bringing forward the potential of hydrogen – governments or industry? 

Hear from a leading expert on anticipated scenarios for the new world order following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. How will the realignment of energy procurement policies impact economies hitherto reliant on large volumes of natural gas from Russia and where will alternative supply come from? What will increased quantities of energy from alternative suppliers mean for those economies, their traditional customers and energy prices?

Supply chain bottlenecks, geostrategic crises and the phased withdrawal of finance from fossil fuel projects have all combined to create uniquely volatile energy market conditions. With fuel poverty a real concern for households across the world, what can be done to shore up gas supply and mitigate against any future slump in demand? Are volatile energy markets here to stay? What lessons can the industry learn, from these challenging conditions to minimise shocks across the value chain? 

Audience insights: How can regulators and the industry work together to ensure secure and stable consumer market conditions?

The LNG market is enjoying a period of rapid expansion. Analysts believe supply-side growth could reach 23% for the period to 2025, overmatching global demand growth of 14% for the same timeframe. Accordingly, pressure is mounting on the market’s leading players to reduce emissions profiles across their operations. Green LNG has emerged as a promising, but so far imperfect response. What can the industry do to win trust in the low carbon LNG proposition and what needs to be done to establish agreed global standards for LNG markets?

What is the global LNG market outlook for 2023 and beyond? Will price instability suppress demand expansion in Asia? What does America’s rise to the top of the national exporters list mean for the medium- and long-term health of the market? And is the gas industry ready to commit significant capital to new brownfield and greenfield projects? 

Restrictive measures impacting the flow of Russian gas to European markets has intensified the supply crisis in the region. This panel will draw together CEOs of Europe’s leading energy network operators to discuss short- and long-term approaches to navigating through this unparalleled period of market tension. Can Europe futureproof supply, upgrade vital infrastructure networks and foster a broader spirit of cross-border collaboration? And has the unfolding crisis in Ukraine prompt a renewed move towards greater energy sovereignty? 

Professor Vaclav Smil has variously been described as “one of the most brilliant thinkers of our time”; “Bill Gates’s favourite author”; and “the nerds’ nerd.” He is, in his own words, neither a pessimist nor an optimist, but a scientist. In this Gastech LIVE session, he will deliver a passionate and provocative alternative take on the global race to net zero. What does the history of energy transition teach us about the future? Has the war in Ukraine altered the dynamics of the environmentalist discourse? And how can policymakers work with industry to chart an achievable route out of the climate emergency? 

All credible pathways to net zero by 2050 include a global phase out of coal by 2040. This will likely prove toughest in non-OECD countries. Since the Paris agreement of 2015, the steady fall in coal use across the Global North has been eased by using natural gas as a bridging fuel. Can this model be successfully adapted for market conditions with an increasing need for clean energy options?

At year-end 2021, 39 countries were pursuing national hydrogen strategies in pursuit of cleaner energy. It was a landmark year for the industry, with 520 projects, worth US$160bn, commissioned between January and November. This forward momentum has led analysts to predict the project pipeline value could exceed US$600bn by 2030. Who are the front runners in the race to bring blue and green hydrogen to scale and which government, investment and energy industry partnerships are delivering the promise of hydrogen?

There is a growing consensus that clean hydrogen could play a key role in the worldʼs transition to a sustainable energy future. However, the progression of hydrogen, from a niche player to a widespread energy carrier, will require large-scale investment to fund the R&D, upgrade technology, establish distribution networks and create end-user infrastructure to ensure market penetration and market growth. What is being done by the industry to move the dial? How can the industry work together and with diverse partners to create a sustainable hydrogen ecosystem or, is too much expected of hydrogen too soon?

The natural gas value chain faces a complex array of challenges. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and volatile market conditions the natural gas, LNG, hydrogen and low carbon solutions how are Asian buyers and policy makers improving energy security in the short and medium term in tandem with reducing carbon emissions in the long term. What is the role of gas and LNG in Asia’s long term energy procurement plans?

As governments and businesses strive to align the net zero agenda, the energy project funding environment has become increasingly competitive. Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, governments and investors had seemed reluctant to finance new hydrocarbon projects. Now, with energy supplies so clearly exposed, the tenability of that position has been brought into question. Billions of dollars of investment will be required to ‘keep the lights on’; what can be done to make the funding of near- and medium-term natural gas projects more palatable? And how can public and private sector organisations work in partnership to reduce the risk of project failure, and future supply and price shocks? 

Across the Global South, 800 million people still lack access to reliable electricity. Correcting this power deficit will be key to sustainable growth prospects. This session will look at collaborative work undertaken by nations committed to stabilising energy supply for Africa’s young and rapidly urbanising societies. What role can natural gas play in this cleaner, and more accessible, future energy mix?

Rear Admiral John W. Mauger is a two-star general, and Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy with the US Coast Guard. He will explain how the US Coast Guard is ensuring the security of vital energy infrastructure at America’s ports, and what can be learned from its methods. Have recent geopolitical upheavals added to the existing matrix of threats? Is the nature of the threat to infrastructure being changed by digitalisation? And, how has the supply chain pinch complicated the job of keeping ports secure?

As the hydrogen market evolves, there remains a substantial requirement for new infrastructure. Without a largescale and co-ordinated build-out of production, storage and transportation facilities, as well as pipelines and fuelling stations, even moderate growth may prove difficult. Any such programme will require cross-border co-operation, multi-industry collaboration and a significant injection of funds. How are stakeholders rising to the challenge?

In November 2022, the presidency of COP27 will be held by Egypt, one of the world’s most strategically important natural gas and LNG markets. The Glasgow Climate Pact of 2021 included an international commitment to phase down the use of coal. What should the natural gas industry do to ensure it plays a key role in building cleaner energy capacity across the world?

Natural gas represents a uniquely flexible, abundant, and low carbon energy feedstock which is well positioned to meet the needs of communities without access to secure energy sources. This closing global strategic leadership panel will debate opportunities for the natural gas sector to better reach these communities and imagine a whole-industry roadmap for ending energy poverty. 

Supply chain stress caused by the pandemic and recent geopolitical events shows no signs of abating. The consequences for national energy systems have been severe and the prospect of further disruption is a legitimate cause for concern across the industry. Senior industry figures will discuss how the industry can build more resilient supply chains to minimise shocks across energy systems.

A series of three speeches from globally leading voices in the energy transition conversation.  

Carbon capture technologies have been promoted as key tools in delivering deep decarbonisation but have struggled to deliver on their potential. As new and impactful CCUS projects are developed across the globe, how are CCUS business models evolving to deliver carbon sequestration? 

As the point at which three continents meet, the Eastern Mediterranean has long been a busy junction on global trade routes. Boasting significant reserves of natural gas, the region is poised to make a crucial contribution to the lower-carbon energy transition in high-, medium- and low-income markets alike. During this roundtable session, representatives of the East Mediterranean Gas Forum will discuss how the region can realise its energy potential. 

How are key energy suppliers from Africa supporting energy security in consumer markets and what does this mean for the producer-consumer dynamic? Will Africa be the answer alongside Europe’s infrastructure build and investments in LNG terminals and storage in shoring up energy supplies and potentially fill the widening gaps for the need for gas in Europe?

Supply challenges have provided a wake-up call to those who did not understood the complexities of our global energy networks and the enormous challenges to delivering an energy mix with the absence of fossil fuels, such as natural gas. How can the industry regain control of the net zero conversation to better educate policy makers, investors and the public and advocate for essential investment in new gas production?  

In alignment with net zero targets, oil and gas companies are reinventing themselves as integrated energy providers, offering lower carbon energy solutions alongside existing products. What changes are these asset investment choices having on business models and to what extent are companies creating a ‘green culture’ within their organisations? And how can the industry convince the zero-carbon lobby that it is committed to climate neutrality? 

The rise of ESG and activist investment has complicated the task of delivering new hydrocarbon projects, leading to damaging supply shortages and price escalation. Ethical consumerism, motivated by similar principals and driven by millennials, is a growing challenge for the energy sector. Experts will examine how the industry can speak more convincingly on green issues to an increasingly socially and environmentally conscious customer base. 

With environmental priorities under threat as volatile energy markets force governments to reassess zero carbon policies, there may be a temptation for the gas industry to deprioritise ESG compliance. With the speed of the energy transition uncertain, how should the industry respond to changing government environmental policies and regulations on greenhouse gases, plastics, and vehicle electrification. And how should the industry engage with activist investors to regain control of the energy narrative?  

For many years, companies have been working diligently on ways of reusing and recycling waste materials to create new and useful products. In doing so, they are maximising the life of materials beyond a single purpose and driving the transition from a linear to circular economy. What more can the natural gas, LNG and hydrogen industry do to actively promote the development of this new economic model and, in doing so, create new business? 

Increasingly, major energy consumers are using progressive procurement policies to determine the pace of global decarbonisation. What must be done to reflect new energy demand profiles? Can the industry build a low emissions value proposition that stands up to end users’ net zero ambitions? Are low carbon premiums really seen as a price worth paying?   

Formula One: Decarbonising motorsport  

Among the many climate commitments announced in recent years, few are as striking as Formula One’s pledge to achieve a net zero carbon footprint by 2030. The ambition, ‘from factory to flag’, would, if realised, mark a watershed for the automotive sector. So how are Formula One’s administrators and marquee automotive names partnering with the energy industry, big tech players, climate experts and motor racing fans to turn ambition into reality?  

Substantive and demonstrable action on fugitive emissions will be essential in reclaiming the sustainability narrative, rebutting charges of greenwashing and winning long-term financial commitments from investors. How can the industry develop realistic strategies to aggressively tackle fugitive emissions across the energy value chain? What more must the industry do to curb methane emissions and accelerate the adoption of CCUS technologies?  

Faced with a growing skills gap, the digitalisation and automation of the energy sector represents a huge opportunity to develop new skills and enhance efficiencies and agility. In confronting the twin challenges of technological disruption and climate activism, the gas value chain’s leading players face a stark choice: modernise or face obsolescence. What is the digitalisation opportunity and how can it enable the energy companies of the future to deliver a more efficient, cleaner energy future whilst ensuring robust security systems to protect vital energy supply?