In this Issue:
NGW Interview: IGU Sec gen, Luis Bertran Rafecas
NGW met Luis Bertran Rafecas during the International Gas Union’s Workshop in Cairo and asked him about IGU’s focus on the role of gas in the future energy mix, in the run-up to the World Gas Conference in Washington.
EC Settlement forces Change on Russia
Polish pressure over the European Commission's Statement of Objections leak fails to lead to harsh terms for Gazprom, but a fine might never have been paid and would only have worsened relations while this solution forces compliance.
Baltics Eye Freer Market
The EC-Gazprom settlement was given a qualified welcome by the Baltic States, where there is some resentment that no fine was imposed on the Russian monopoly. Markets may not change overnight but the short-term prospects are good.
Canada's East Coast offers LNG potential
Shell’s high-profile project is not the only LNG game in Canada: east coast LNG projects are also on the table, and western producers are eager to get in on the action there and also in small scale projects.
Canada's First Nations Come Onside
The Canadian gas industry awaits FID on the country’s first major LNG projects, as First Nations support is now assured. It has been a bumpy journey though, often adding to the costs by extending the planning process and involving compensation packages.
NGW Interview: US State Dept's John McCarrick
NGW interviewed the US State Department’s Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Energy Resources, John McCarrick, to hear his views on the state of play in gas markets and politics.
Mexico’s Basins Sleep as Gas Imports Peak
Elections in Mexico threaten to slow down developments upstream and the country is facing a growing supply-demand gap. It will be some years before that is addressed perceptibly by new production, giving cheap US gas a clear run at the market.
Philippines Forges Chinese Ties
A few years ago, the Philippines won a territorial dispute with China in a Dutch court, but neglected to press home that advantage: it has swapped solidarity with other aggrieved Asean members for better trading terms and gas exploration with China.
Energy Transition: is Sky the Answer?
There has been no shortage of commentary on the impossibility of painlessly achieving the Paris Agreement goals without making heroic assumptions. Now Shell is having a go in its Sky scenario, but carbon capture and storage is still under a big question-mark.
Carbon Reacts to Tightening Market
Carbon prices in Europe are on the rise as the European Union starts to get tougher over emissions goals. This could be good news for gas demand as coal is increasingly priced out of the market, but political risk within the bloc cannot be discounted.
Coal not Fuel of Choice for RSA: Report
South Africa should focus on renewables and gas and halt all future coal-fired power projects, a report from an influential Cape Town research unit urges. Gas could be the substitute, with a governmental masterplan now not far off.
West African LNG All at Sea
The early promise of west African LNG import projects stands in stark contrast with today's reality: national governments have not shown the necessary interest, but the string of investors shows a continuing appetite to learn from mistakes.
Novatek reboots Russia's LNG industry
After false dawns galore, Russia is en route to becoming a world-class LNG exporter before the end of the decade – and one of the top four by 2025 – thanks to foreign investment, domestic technology and unconventional financing.
