Argus hosts more than 200 representatives of the LPG market at its Sochi event
The Argus LPG Sochi 2019 international conference was held on 16-17 April in Sochi, on Russia’s Black Sea coast. The conference is one of the key annual events for LPG market participants, bringing together producers, importers, exporters, traders and carriers within one forum.
The general partner of the conference was leading Russian LPG producer SIBUR, while trading firm the Avestra Group was the official sponsor of the event. The conference was also supported by Impexneftekhim, Spectr Trading, Vixon Gas, Intertrans and Quest Group.
During the discussions, more than 200 participants from 23 countries debated the current market situation and the development prospects for the industry in Russia, the rest of the former Soviet Union (FSU), eastern and western Europe, and other regions.
Philip Shaw, Argus Senior Vice-President for LPG, and Svetlana Novolodskaya, a senior editor at Argus, welcomed the delegates. Philip opened the first session by presenting a report on the global market balance for LPG, detailing the major industry trends in key regions.
Irina Kurdyumova, Head of Hydrocarbons Marketing, SIBUR, spoke about the challenges and prospects facing the industry. In particular, Irina noted a surplus in the Russian LPG market, which has been caused by an increase in commercial production by some producers at a time when domestic demand has fallen slightly.
David Tyler, Head of Projects at the World LPG Association, continued the topic of global industry trends, presenting examples of the successful use of LPG in various consumption sectors. He stressed the importance of informing end-users about the properties of LPG and the benefits of using the fuel.
At the end of the session, Nerissa Scheik, Head of Analytics and Marketing, SHV Gas Supply & Risk Management, spoke about the current shape of the European LPG market.
The second session featured insightful reviews of trends in the LPG market in the FSU and Europe and also considered Russian LPG exports to China and the dynamics of the market in central Asia..
The first day of the conference ended with a dinner at the Kauri restaurant located at the AJ Hackett Skypark in Sochi.
The second day of the conference was dedicated to discussing the key trends in the Russian LPG market. Kraisgaz Director Denis Kekki, the Deputy Director of the Dagestan Association of Gas Filling Stations, Omar Batalov, Neftesfera Director Oleg Dronov, Impexneftekhim Deputy Chief Executive Leonid Kruchinin, and Argus senior editor Svetlana Novolodskaya all spoke on the key issues and prospects facing the industry.
We would like to thank all the participants who attended this year’s event in Sochi. We look forward to seeing you next year at the 15th Argus LPG conference.