Natural Gas Industry Leaders to Meet with Governments to Discuss Future Global Energy Strategies

PRESS RELEASE

Since 2010, the International Energy Agency have highlighted that natural gas will be a key fuel in meeting future energy demand growth over the next 25 years. Much of this growth will come from Asia, where demand for cleaner and more efficient fuel for power generation is increasingly set to come from natural gas, as coal-fired and nuclear generation capacity is reduced or withdrawn altogether based on pressing emissions target obligations, and growing public safety concerns.

As a result, the international natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) industries have ramped up efforts to meet the needs of governments around the world seeking to change energy policy, and evolve their national energy mix to include more clean and efficient solutions that quickly meet their growing demands for power.

One of the most significant of these meetings will take place on 23-24 March 2014 in Seoul, Korea, at the world's leading natural gas and LNG event – the Gastech Conference & Exhibition. A dedicated VIP Programme has been created that will welcome national policy makers – dozens of ministerial and state representatives from energy and natural resources offices –  to meet with the world's natural gas and LNG industry top-level leaders, providing a rare platform to shape future energy policy and debate the role of natural gas within the future energy mix.

The VIP Programme is backed by the world's largest national oil company, Saudi Aramco – who have recently invested heavily into further developing natural gas resources – and Woodside, Australia's largest energy company and one of the world's leading exporters of natural gas and LNG.  Other key support comes from Gastech 2014's hosts, the Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS), and respected associations such as the ASEAN Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE) and the International Energy Forum (IEF).

Aldo Flores, Secretary General of the IEF, commented:

"The IEF is an enthusiastic supporter of the VIP programme for Gastech 2014, held under the patronage of the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Gastech brings together the major players in the region and its VIP programme provides an excellent high-level platform that engages key government and industry participants in a free and open exchange of ideas. We need this type of dialogue to develop a better understanding of issues of common interest, not only to players in the region, but also to energy markets worldwide."

The format of the programme will allow the industry's top gas producers, largest consumers and committed investors to openly discuss geo-political and market trends, share opportunities, and overcome strategic challenges to advance hydrocarbon policies and projects through a series of closed-door energy investment and security roundtables with private networking events.

For further information about the Gastech 2014 VIP Programme, please contact Amanda Basi, VIP Programme Director on +44 (0)203 615 2840 or email vip@gastechkorea.com.