Press Release

[Index]

Natural Gas Storage for Enhanced Energy Security under Consideration by the UNECE Working Party on Gas

Geneva, 12 January 2009

Two key energy technologies that can help reduce the impact of the natural gas disruptions will be discussed during the annual session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Working Party on Gas to be held on 20 January in the Palais des Nations, Geneva. Two separate Round Tables will be held to examine the current situation and future prospects for underground gas storage and for the liquefied natural gas industry.

The Round Tables will seek answers to selected critical issues on the future of natural gas supply within the UNECE region, such as:

• What role could natural gas underground gas storage facilities play in mitigating interruptions in natural gas supply to both individual UNECE member countries and at a regional level?
• Does the current regulatory and legal framework foster the investments needed in underground gas storage?
• Will liquefied natural gas continue to increase its share in the energy market to the detriment of natural gas?
• How quickly could the liquefied natural gas industry become a major counterbalancing force to natural gas supply?
• What would be the key sources of liquefied natural gas for the UNECE region in the next 10-20 years?

Senior executives of major oil and natural gas companies from the UNECE region such as E.ON, RWE, GdF-Suez, BEB, GasTerra, Repsol, Gas Natural and Enagas, as well as representatives of the Hungarian Energy Office, International Gas Union, Eurogas, Gas Infrastructure Europe and Benjamin Schlesinger Associates, will take an active part in the Round Tables, beginning at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 20 January in Conference Room XI, Palais des Nations.

For further information, please contact:

Ref: ECE/SED/09/P01