Global LNG trends in focus at Argus online conference
Delegates from 20 countries joined international pricing agency Argus Media’s LNG 2021: FSU and Global Markets online conference on 11 February.
Topics included global trends, the importance of LNG in the global energy balance, development of new projects, export routes and infrastructure, and the market for LNG as a bunker fuel.
The event was opened by Argus Senior Editor Matthew Drinkwater, with key news from the global market. Drinkwater said there had only been a slight rise in global LNG supply in 2020. Trends in Europe and Asia-Pacific were discussed separately.
Sergey Komlev, Head of Contract Structuring and Pricing at Gazprom Export, spoke about the role of pipeline gas and LNG in rebalancing the European market. Komlev said Russian pipeline gas had ensured a balanced market in Europe by the end of 2020.
An overview of Russian LNG projects was presented by Maria Pirozhkova from the Russian energy ministry’s fuel analysis centre. Pirozhkova said Russia’s domestic projects are highly competitive and that Russian firms have every chance of realising their potential on the global stage, despite the launch of large-scale production facilities in other countries.
Mikhail Grigoriev, Senior Research Scientist at the Russian Academy of Sciences and General Director of the Geological Consulting Center “GECON”, assessed developments regarding the Northern Sea Route, along with the prospects for Russia’s Yamal LNG, Arctic LNG 2 and Obsky LNG projects, and the outlook for the Alaska LNG scheme in the US.
Vladimir Arutyunyan from nuclear icebreaker operator Atomflot gave a presentation on gas cargo traffic and the importance of the icebreaker fleet in development of the Northern Sea Route.
The outlook for the LNG bunkering market was covered by Efim Suchkov, Head of LNG Bunkering at Gazprom Neft Marine Bunker. Suchkov analysed alternative fuel types, and also looked at some Russian and international experiences in developing the sector. “With the introduction of new environmental restrictions, the number of fuel alternatives is constantly increasing. For ships currently under construction, however, LNG is the most economical and logistically accessible solution among clean fuels,” Suchkov noted.
In conclusion, Alexander Tavdidishvili, Head of External Communications and Special Projects at the National Gas Vehicle Association, delivered a report on the use of LNG as a bunker fuel. This included an overview of pilot programmes in Russia, and he also noted the importance of environmental initiatives in rolling out the technology.
The strong participation and engagement of the event’s attendees was a testament to the business community’s interest in LNG. Argus invites you to continue the discussion at our future events.