LONDON, December 10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Recent weeks have seen Russian gas behemoth - and key strategic supplier to Europe - Gazprom collide yet again with the Ukraine and, by extension, key gas supply stakeholders in Europe. Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission Vice President for Energy and lynchpin in the Russian-Ukraine negotiations has warned that "Eastern European countries will clearly have their energy security decreased" if the proposed Nord Stream-2 expansion project goes ahead. Gazprom have suspended supplies to Ukraine; Ukraine has vowed to cut all dependence on Russian gas, as well as cutting their airspace to Russian neighbours.
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Clearly, 'security of supply' is the mantra to meet natural gas demands of the European Union and in particular the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region. The CEE gas gateway has witnessed profound changes, both politically and economically within the last decade, affecting not only the gradual deregulation of domestic markets and supply routes, but the access to resource for the wider European region. With supplies decreasing from established resources in Western Europe, the future of CEE gas sourcing, regulation, trading and infrastructure has reached a monumental paradigm shift.
With the critical link between security and diversity of supply, new gas sources are being flagged: increasing LNG supplies from both traditional partners like Qatar and new players like North America; the development of unconventional resource plays through domestic E&P technologies such as fracking; the emergence of Iran, and giant discoveries in offshore Egypt looking to service new European markets. All scenarios threatening to loosen Russia's grip on European supply domination, with the CEE at the heart of new energy routes and alliances.
As the 'North-South Gas Corridor' gains both commercial support and political momentum, the LNG to TSO interconnectivity and gas supply possibilities into key countries such as Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Lithuania, along with the EC are all involved in realignment.
After 30 years of European and global gas market contribution and industry partnership, dmg :: events Global Energy (organisers of Gastech, ADIPEC, Global Petroleum Show and EAGC) are proud to host the inaugural edition of the Central & Eastern European Gas Conference (CEE Gas) - http://www.theceegas.com - in Zagreb, Croatia from 15-16 February, 2017.
Bringing together all key stakeholders and public-private commercial market participants including Governments, Ministries, Regulators, Investors, Gas Consumers, Utilities, LNG Buyers, LNG and Gas suppliers, E&Ps, TSOs, EPCs and Financiers, CEE Gas will provide an unrivalled platform for the strategic roadmap to a diverse and secure natural gas future for the region.
Neill Howard, +44-(0)203-180-6508, neillhoward@dmgevents.com
