Five things we learnt from the World Gas Conference

Author Kwok Wan

Earlier this week I outlined the main themes from the first two days.  Here are some other things we learnt from the World Gas Conference in Paris this week.

Earlier this week I outlined the main themes from the first two days.  Here are some other things we learnt from the World Gas Conference in Paris this week.

  1. Faith in Yamal LNG
They have faith in Russia's 16.5mn t/yr Yamal LNG project. Led by Russian independent Novatek and partnered by Total and China's CNPC, there were questions raised when US and EU sanctions were imposed on Russia, especially about project financing.  No-one needed to have worried.

Total chief executive Patrick Pouyanne said the stakeholders still plan to secure project financing by the middle of this year.  He would not be pressed on when exactly that meant though.

He added that the project partners do not need financing from banks and can continue to fund the project from their own pockets. They plan to secure capital to develop the project by June, a year behind schedule.

Shell and Engie (formally GDF Suez) were both convinced.  Both signed long-term contracts for Yamal LNG supplies.

  1. Mozambique wants to speed up LNG exports
The government of Mozambique would like developers to reach a final investment decision (FID) on the planned 12mn t/yr onshore liquefaction facility by the end of 2015, project developer Anadarko said.  If an FID were reached this year, the project could produce first LNG in 2019.  But the company decided not to comment on if it would reach FID this year.

And no-one told Eni either, who previously said it plans to reach FID on the onshore facility in Mozambique in 2016-17, with first LNG exports in 2022. In April, Eni said that it is planning to reach FID on its 2.5mn t/yr floating LNG (FLNG) facility by the end of this year though.

  1. In Iran, you can go to the bank to exchange an old heater for a new one
Banks aren't just for money in Iran.  State-owned gas producer NIGC is hoping to curb high gas consumption in Iran through replacing consumer heating equipment with more efficient machines.

Many Iranian heaters and boilers have high levels of gas wastage, which contribute to the country's large levels of gas consumption. The programme allows Iranian citizens to swap low-efficiency heaters for efficient ones at banks. The swap is partly subsidised by NIGC.

  1. Brazil is looking into gas storage
Brazil is looking into developing gas storage to help manage supplies that could reduce dependence on LNG, Brazilian engineering firm Promon said.

By the end of the year, Promon is hoping to select a depleted natural gas field to convert.  Storage would also allow Brazil to more effectively use its supply of 30mn m³/d from Bolivia, according to oil and gas business director Celso Silva.

  1. Gazprom likes women's volleyball
At the Gazprom stand, the company showed its appreciation for women's volleyball.