Editorial comment

Adrienne Blume, Editor

On the opening day of Gastech 2017, which took place in April in Tokyo, Japan, international energy leaders examined how gas suppliers are adapting to the changing global market. They also shared strategies for increasing the share of gas in the global energy mix.

ExxonMobil Gas and Power Marketing Co. President Robert Franklin commented on how the so-called “Golden Age of Gas” has evolved. Based on provisional 2016 data, natural gas demand growth has averaged 6.5%/yr since 2011; however, gas trade has expanded just 1.5%/yr since that year. Following this point, Total’s Patrick Pouyanné noted that, although producers may be in a bearish mood, a potentially very bright future exists for gas.

Shell’s Integrated Gas and New Energies Director, Maarten Wetselaar, outlined four critical agendas for the gas industry to address to ensure that gas reaches its full potential:

1. Encourage policies that target CO₂ emissions and air quality improvement
2. Reduce costs and ensure competitive gas pricing
3. Adopt a stringent approach to measuring, reporting and repairing methane leaks
4. Diligently pursue new markets for gas.

Meanwhile, ConocoPhillips Chairman and CEO Ryan Lance touted recent developments in smaller-scale LNG that are making it a more competitive fuel. This smaller-scale, modular construction trend is also seen in the GTL industry, as discussed in this issue’s Executive Viewpoint from INFRA Technology, and in a worldwide GTL project update and review from Hydro­carbon Processing’s Editor/Associate Publisher. GP