Gastech makes its East Asian debut
A. BLUME, Managing Editor
Gastech is the global meeting place for energy professionals working in the natural gas industry. Operating on an 18-month cycle to ensure that issues remain topical, the 27th edition of Gastech will take place at the Korea International Exhibition Center (KINTEX 1) in Seoul, South Korea, from March 24–27, 2014.
Originally established to bring together the technical decision-makers involved in LNG and LPG shipping, Gastech now pulls together major technical and commercial players from around the world to meet, discuss and exchange ideas affecting the upstream, midstream, downstream and power generation sectors of the industry.
Gas is proving to be an increasingly popular choice for power generation, industry and transport as the cleanest fossil fuel available, while nuclear energy comes under intense scrutiny and renewable energy sources remain unreliable. Gastech exists to nourish and build relationships in the global energy community to ensure that gas remains at the forefront of the international energy mix.
Move to East Asia
This year, Gastech celebrates its 42nd birthday with its debut in South Korea, the first East Asian country to host the event. Gastech 2014 will address the issues that matter to the decision-makers, investors, stakeholders and engineering contractors delivering gas to the world’s markets.
Host country South Korea recently became the eighth country to join the “trillion-dollar club” for GDP value, and it is continuing to drive regional demand for natural gas and LNG. Host company KOGAS is the world’s largest single importer of LNG, and it presently operates three major LNG receiving terminals and a nationwide gas pipeline network. As the nation’s sole importer of LNG, KOGAS is critical to supplying the nation’s industrial and domestic gas requirements.
KOGAS was highly visible at the Gastech 2012 exhibition in London, UK, as the incoming host sponsor. The company’s spacious booth featured live performances of traditional Korean music (Fig. 1), and both KOGAS and Gastech executives were on hand to answer questions from exhibition attendees and to promote KOGAS’ sponsorship of Gastech 2014 (Fig. 2).
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Fig. 1. Performers played traditional Korean music at the KOGAS booth at Gastech 2012 in London, UK.
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Fig. 2. Gastech representative for Korea, Ho-Kyong Kim (left); Matthew Meredith, the executive vice president of energy for DMG Events UK Ltd.; and Dr. Young-Myung Yang (right), vice president of KOGAS R&D, welcomed Gastech 2012 exhibition attendees at the KOGAS booth. |
The Korean government is also one of the leading investors into international gas and oil partnerships, and it has a growing upstream portfolio. Activity includes investments in shale gas resources, with interests around the world, as the government seeks new resources to power its thriving economy.
South Korea has major strategic and economic importance at the center of Asia’s growing demand for gas. The country is surrounded by China, Japan, Taiwan and Russia, which are some of the world’s most important players in the natural gas and LNG business, and they are influential over many of the global suppliers and project developers in the region.
There will be a major Korean presence in the exhibition, with all of the country’s most prominent companies in the energy and shipping space represented at the highest levels. Leaders include host company KOGAS, as well as Samsung Heavy Industries, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, Hanjin Heavy Industries, STX, SK Engineering, GS Energy, GS Power and more. Also of major interest to international companies will be the Korean Pavilion, an innovative central space dedicated to showcasing the best Korean technology and manufacturing firms to international visitors.
With a stronghold for both the technical and commercial sectors for the natural gas and LNG industry, Gastech 2014 is proud to be hosted by this vibrant country and its national oil company, KOGAS.
Conference
Gastech’s acclaimed international conference brings together the world’s professional gas community to engage over key issues impacting the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors today and in the future.
The commercial and technical conference program provides a vital opportunity for the global community to meet every 18 months and stay on top of the changes, evolution and developments being witnessed by the gas and LNG industries. With face-to-face networking at high levels, comprehensive conference sessions and engaging social functions, the Gastech 2014 conference brings innovation, discussion and inspiration by connecting commercial and technical players together under one roof.
On the first day of the conference, two afternoon panels will feature a host of top executives. Notable speakers will include Kwon Young-Sik, senior vice president and head of LNG procurement at KOGAS; Shigeru Muraki, executive vice president and CEO of the energy solution division at Tokyo Gas Company Ltd.; and Domenico Dispenza, president of the International Group of LNG Importers. These panelists will discuss strategies for securing Asia’s gas demand from a demand-side perspective. The supply-side perspective will be presented by Pierre Breber, president of Chevron Gas and Midstream; Peter Coleman, CEO of Woodside Petroleum; Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi, CEO of RasGas Co. Ltd.; Rob S. Franklin, president of ExxonMobil Gas and Power Marketing; and Steve Ratcliffe, senior vice president of LNG coordination at ENI; among others.
On Monday afternoon, David Knipe, global head of trading and LNG at BP; Maarten Wetselaar, executive vice president of integrated gas at Shell; Philip Olivier, president of GDF Suez LNG; Philippe Sauquet, president of Total Gas & Power; and other speakers will discuss the implications of global gas trade for the Asian-Pacific market.
Tuesday and Wednesday of the conference will feature two tracks of programming—commercial and technical—while Thursday will feature technical presentations. Subject matter will include the global gas market, LNG shipping and shipbuilding, unconventional gas, LNG terminals and plants, natural gas and LNG pricing and trading, LNG bunkering and infrastructure, financing for LNG projects, emerging gas technologies, and contracting and fabrication challenges.
Exhibition
The exhibition, which runs alongside the conference, will present a major showcase of the latest gas industry products, services, innovations and technologies, representing more than 300 exhibiting companies. It will also offer technical seminars that are free to attend, bringing the commercial and technical worlds together.
Exhibitors from the downstream, midstream and upstream sectors of the gas supply chain will provide a valuable meeting place to network, conduct business and build strategic partnerships. Visitors to the exhibition constitute a cross-section of the gas industry comprising company representatives actively involved in sourcing suppliers, developing partnerships and making decisions that lead to the purchase of gas-related products and services.
Matthew Meredith, executive vice president of energy at DMG Events, commented, “Gastech in 2014 has grown in all areas: the exhibition; the conference; the number of speakers, delegates and sponsors; the number of papers submitted; and the high-level VIP program. The response has been overwhelming.”
For a complete A–Z exhibitor list, please visit www.gastechkorea.com/
exhibition/. The following is a short list of sponsor companies exhibiting at Gastech:
- ABS
- ADNOC
- Baker Botts
- Bechtel
- BG Group
- Black & Veatch
- CB&I
- Cheniere
- Chevron
- ConocoPhillips
- ExxonMobil
- Fluor
- Gas Strategies
- KBC Advanced Technologies
- KBR Inc.
- KOGAS
- Kuwait Oil Co.
- Mitsui Co. LNG Investment Ltd.
- Nigeria LNG Ltd.
- Oman LNG LLC
- Qatargas
- RasGas
- Saudi Aramco
- Shell
- Technip
- Total
- Yemen LNG Co.
CoTEs
A special element to the Gastech exhibition is the unique offering it provides visitors: over 60 free-to-attend seminar theatres that deliver presentations on the latest international technology in the gas and LNG industry. The Centres of Technical Excellence (CoTEs) welcome knowledge-sharing from key companies involved in offshore and subsea technology; pipeline infrastructure; health, safety, security and the environment; natural gas vehicles; LNG and gas carrier ship technology; power generation; LNG fuel technology; liquefaction; and GTL/NGL technology. Experts from global technology leaders that are presenting at the seminar theatres include KOGAS, WorleyParsons, Baker Hughes, Air Products, Woodside Energy and Wärtsilä, among others.
The nine CoTEs streams for 2014 are:
- Liquefaction
- LNG fuel technology
- Natural gas vehicles
- Offshore and subsea technology
- LNG and gas carrier ship technology
- Pipeline infrastructure
- Power generation
- Health, safety, security and the environment
- NGL and GTL technology.
For more information on the CoTEs, please visit www.gastechkorea.com/exhibition/cotes/.
Gastech Student Program
Since 2006, the Gastech Student Program has provided final-year university students and those in their first year of graduation with the opportunity to learn more about the natural gas sector from some of the industry’s most respected individuals.
The program, which will take place on March 25 at the KINTEX 1 Center, provides select attendees with a better understanding of the industry by delivering presentations on a variety of topics that cover the full supply chain. As well as educating students, the program aims to make students aware of the varied career opportunities the industry has to offer.
The day encompasses several conference sessions and a problem-solving exercise, encouraging students to troubleshoot in small groups and present their findings. The day will conclude with a networking session for student attendees, speakers and sponsors.
Accommodations and travel
DMG Events has arranged special rates for exhibition and conference participants at a number of hotels near the KINTEX 1 Center. Please note that all bookings must be made directly through the partner hotels. Gastech partner hotels are listed at www.gastechkorea.com/travel/gastech-partner-hotels/.
DMG Events has also provided a list of alternative, non-discounted lodging for attendees; visit www.gastechkorea.com/alternative-hotels-near-kintex/ for more information and booking options for these hotels.
The Gastech website lists transportation options for getting to the KINTEX 1
Center. Please visit www.gastechkorea.com/travel/ for more information.
Additionally, Gastech has partnered with Hanjin Travel to offer conference and exhibition attendees a number of daily, pre-conference, and post-conference tours of the city and surrounding areas. Among the options are half- and full-day tours of Seoul; a tour of the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, showcasing traditional Korean art and contemporary art; a Han River dinner cruise; a two- or three-night tour of scenic Jeju Island; and a one-night stay at a Buddhist temple, among other options. For more information on local tours and travel, visit www.gastechkorea.com/travel/hanjin-travel/. GP
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Gastech March 24–27, 2014 Gastech Exhibition:
Gastech Conference:
Gastech Show Daily Newspaper:
www.gastechkorea.com |
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