Gastech 2008

Call for papers published. The 23rd edition of Gastech will be hosted by PTT Group and staged between 10-13 March 2008 at the Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre

The call for papers for the Gastech 2008 is now open, and with a deadline of 29 June 2007, abstracts are already arriving thick and fast with the organisers of the 23rd International Conference and Exhibition for the LNG, LPG and Natural Gas Industries to be held in Bangkok 10-13 March 2008.

"Judging by the early response we will be expecting a record number of abstracts by the time we reach the submission deadline," says event director, Tony Stephenson of dmg world media (uk) ltd the organisers of Gastech. "Our Programme Advisory Committee (PAC) has identified various hot topics for 2008. These are now posted on our website at www.gastech.co.uk along with step-by-step guidelines on abstract submission. We have recently interviewed some of our PAC members inviting them to give their personal views on hot topics and on the importance of speaking at Gastech. Their views will be on the website shortly in our latest video broadcast."

The PAC is the way by which Gastech interfaces with the industry. The broad group of some 25+ members from around the world varies to a certain extent as Gastech moves from region to region: "This change within the group ensures we have a direct line to the hot topics and hot speakers in the area where the show is to be held," explains PAC Co-Chair, Chris Clucas, Director of Dorchester Maritime LNG Ltd.

Hot topics in plenty
The published hot topics alluded to by Tony Stephenson are under two broad headings, commercial and technical. Commercial topics include world gas supply and demand, forecast and strategy; natural gas and LNG projects, development and outlook; pipeline projects, development and outlook; alternative trading models in the gas business; finance and legal issues; new frontiers: geographic and technical; sustainable growth in natural gas - commercial; governmental issues - from policy framework to safety and environment issues to project permitting.

And, technical issues, covering terminals, plants and all other applications are as diverse and include: LNG shipping: development, technology, crewing, operations and trends; safety and training; natural gas and LNG facilities, including storage, regasificaiton, floating and offshore; gas utilisation including LPG, NGV, cogeneration, district cooling, DME and other products, which include methanol, olefins and their derivatives using them as feedstock; gas to liquids; sustainable growth in natural gas - technical; key enabling technologies including transmission and pipelines; and prestressed concrete LNG tanks.

Individual 'wish lists'
"Each PAC member is likely to have his or her own 'wish list'", explains Tony Stephenson. Chris Clucas, explains: "In the past we have seen the big projects, the big ships, and big import terminals coming along. Through papers at past events we have seen the designs and heard about the planning. Now we are seeing their implementation and production, and in Bangkok we will hear about the achievements of the big ships and the big trains."

James Ball, President and Chief Mentor, Gas Strategies Consulting is hoping for insights into where the industry is going, what speakers are afraid of, what they are looking forward to, what the opportunities are and what frustrates them. "We want a spread of views," he explains. "One of the things that has been very interesting about the LNG industry in the past two or three years is that big players, who maybe you would expect to have the same perspective on the present and future, are taking quite different approaches on the way they develop their business; and the business environment. Don't be afraid to be on one side or the other of that range!"

In considering the fact that industry costs and schedules have increased so that some major projects are "a little bit stagnant", Shell's Manager for Gas Technology, Rob Klein Nagelvoort is hoping for some 'back to basics' ideas: "If you can find a way with innovation to make things simpler that couldn't be better!" he says.

And Dr Fereidun Fesharaki, chairman and CEO of FACTS Global Energy Group, on the PAC for the first time, is hoping that Gastech will cover issues such as "globalisation of the natural gas business; Eastern and Western arbitrage opportunities; short term and long term contracts; issues relating to negotiating specific deals in this very unusual market; and some specific country analysis of some of the key emerging markets - China, India, Spain and the US"

"Just these four views show the scope that Gastech 2008 could cover," says Tony Stephenson. "The PAC is in for a stimulating time when it considers all those abstracts!"

Expanding exhibition
Bookings for the Gastech 2008 exhibition have been received from companies and organisations based in 30 countries and, already occupying nearly 10,500m2 comfortably exceeds, by almost 1500m2, the total area of 8880m2 taken up by Gastech 2006, and has now expanded into a further interlinked hall that leads to and from the plenary sessions and delegate lunch area.

"This growth reflects the growth of the industry and makes Gastech the largest LNG exhibition in the world," explains Tony Stephenson. "Many of our exhibitors are taking a larger amount of space; there are bookings from international companies new to Gastech - such as Brazil's Petrobras; also from the Far East with companies exhibiting with us as the show moves to their region; and there are some 'returners' who have not exhibited with us in recent years. We are delighted to welcome them all."

Highly supportive host organisation
"As hosts to Gastech 2008, the PTT Group is pulling out all the stops," he explains. "Gastech is playing an important role in their overall marketing campaign; and they are far advanced in the planning of key Gastech components such as social events and technical tours. We will be giving full details in our full conference brochure, but I can certainly whet appetites by explaining that there will be four technical tours offering fascinating insights into PTT's activities."