Under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, the 7th Doha Natural Gas Conference & Exhibition will be held during the period from 9 – 12 March 2009 at the Sheraton Hotel and Resort in Doha. This biennial event, previously know as the Doha Conference on Natural Gas, is one of the industry’s leading conferences on natural gas, and provides a platform for industry professionals to discuss contemporary issues facing the natural gas industry.
The Conference Program will comprise of seven sessions and a maximum of five papers per session. Each speaker will have 20 minutes (15 minutes to present his/her paper and 5 minutes for Q&A).
An industry exhibition will be held in parallel to the conference. This will provide an opportunity for industry participants to showcase their achievements and new products.
The general theme of the Conference for 2009 will be: “Natural Gas – A cleaner fuel for tomorrow”. Each session is designed to cover important issues confronting the natural gas industry, including: security of supply, environmental challenges, evolving market conditions, new technologies, as well as other topics of interest.
The Organizing Committee is planning a program that will cover all aspects of natural gas. To achieve this goal, influential people in the industry are invited to submit abstracts of their potential presentations to the conference Program Committee for consideration and selection.
Abstracts of potential papers must be received by August 15, 2008 for consideration by the Program Committee, and clearly indicating the Session number. Proposed papers must be of original material, not previously published or intended to be published prior to the 7th Doha Natural Gas Conference & Exhibition, and should not include advertising material of any kind. The Abstract should not exceed one A4-size paper written in English with the details of the speaker and author(s), company, and the address to which the final decision should be mailed. Since the selection of the proposed papers will be based only on the abstract, the abstract must be specific and accurately summarize the intended contents of the paper.
Abstracts should be sent to:
Dr. Salman Ghouri
Program Committee Secretariat
Qatar Petroleum
P.O. Box 3212
Doha, Qatar
e-mail: ghouri@qp.com.qa
The Program Committee for the 7th Doha Natural Gas Conference & Exhibition is the only body entitled to make the final selection of the conference papers. Selected speakers will be informed of the Committee's decision by the September 20, 2008. Papers would be judged as either:
Selected as a Session Paper;
Selected as a Spare Paper; or
Unselected Paper.
Only the first two categories would have to submit the complete power point presentations and text (electronic copies) by January 15, 2009. Selected Papers not received by that deadline will be automatically replaced by a Spare Paper.
In appreciation of your contribution to the conference, Qatar Petroleum will provide all presenters with return business class flights to Doha and accommodation at the Sheraton Hotel for the duration of the conference.
Conference Sessions and Topics
Session 1: Natural Gas Market – Trends
Global gas markets are evolving at a rapid pace. This session will cover some of the key driving forces behind this evolution - including the role of gas in power generation, petrochemical industries and cogeneration. Papers are invited on topics such as:
- Global natural gas supply and demand;
- Outlook for natural gas in power generation;
- Critical natural gas market issues;
- Emerging markets;
- Regional/global price outlook;
- Flexible contracts and third party access;
- Long-term contracts and spot market;
- Future arbitrage and SWAP market;
- Natural gas processing & utilization in downstream industries;
- GTL supply and demand.
Session 2: An Era of Expansion
The global LNG industry is growing at a brisk pace, particularly in view of rapid economic growth in emerging economies of Asia and security of supply related issues. In anticipation of higher natural gas demand, almost all LNG producers are aggressively expanding LNG production. Furthermore, several major gas pipeline projects are currently being commissioned. This session will cover the status of LNG and pipeline projects as well as how LNG consuming countries are lining up their receiving terminals to receive LNG. The session may include reports on the status of:
- Qatar LNG;
- Australian LNG;
- West/North Africa LNG;
- Americas receiving terminals;
- European receiving terminals;
- Emerging LNG producers;
- LNG to China;
- Natural gas pipelines;
- Russia, Caspian – Europe and to China;
- Africa-Europe;
- Iran-Pakistan-India and possible to China;
- GCC Pipeline network.
Session 3: New and Emerging Technologies
New technologies will be instrumental in shaping the gas industry over the coming decades. This session will cover the application of innovative technologies throughout the value chain. The possible topics may include:
- Floating LNG;
- Liquefaction;
- Micro Trains;
- New concepts in LNG shipping and terminal design;
- DME - an emerging fuel;
- CCS/EOR and Natural Gas.
Session 4: Health Safety and Environment and Corporate Social Responsibility
Health, Safety and Environment (HSE), and Corporate Social Responsibility are now recognized as crucial elements of any gas company. Good practices in these areas can assist companies to gain access to resources, retain staff and attract investors. This session will cover the latest trends and emerging issues in the areas of HSE and Corporate Social responsibility. Possible topics include:
- Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting;
- Greenhouse gas emissions reporting and management;
- Major environmental challenges facing the gas industry;
- Measuring and mitigating health and safety risks throughout the production chain;
- Life cycle analysis of gas and GTL projects.
Session 5: Investment Challenges
We live in uncertain times. Inflation is rising in some areas of the Middle East and in the same areas the geopolitical risks have also risen. At the same time we may be on the brink of a global recession. So interest rates may be falling making lending less profitable! Nevertheless many financings in the last 10 years have been most successful. This session serves to explore how successful project financing is structured and how a growing trend in refinancing may come about. The possible topics in this session might include:
- Trends in project financing terms;
- New destination clauses;
- The impact of spot market on project financing;
- Bank diversification of lending portfolios.
Session 6: Energy Security, Climate Change and Competing Energy Sources
The dual goals of energy security and lower greenhouse gas emissions have resulted in increasing attention being given to renewable energy and “clean fossil fuel” technologies. But what impact will these technologies have on the natural gas industry, and what challenges and opportunities will present themselves for the industry as a result of new international and domestic climate change policies? This session aims to explore these issues. Papers are invited on topics such as:
- The potential impacts of post-Kyoto negotiations on the gas industry;
- The state of development and mid term prospects for coal gasification technologies;
- International frameworks for carbon capture and storage;
- The role of natural gas as a “bridging energy source” in a carbon constrained world;
- The potential to improve energy efficiency both for producers and consumers;
- The impact of emerging carbon markets on the gas industry;
- Major commercial challenges of LNG shipping industry.
Session 7: Emerging Issues in the Gas Supply Chain
No matter how good a gas production project is, the gas has to be brought to the market whether it is as LNG, by pipeline gas, as a GTL product or as a petrochemical. This session will cover problems and solutions in the gas supply chain. It is intended to cover LNG tankers, re-gasification terminals, pipelines world wide, some issues to marketing GTL products and the whole area of getting gas based petrochemicals to consuming markets. Papers are invited on topics such as:
- New Regas terminals;
- Will new pipelines increasing gas to gas competition, or create oligopolies;
- New pipeline opportunities in the Middle East;
- How will Europe be supplied – Pipeline or LNG carrier?
- GTL Naphtha as a chemical feedstock;
- GTL products as lube based oil precursors;
- Manpower shortages both in skilled work men and in the labor construction trades;
- Escalation in capital costs of projects;
- Where are the logistics constraints – ships, harbors, roads or custom clearance;
- Major technical challenges of LNG shipping industry;
- Third party access to receiving terminals.
