Paying the Price of Cooking with Gas

A further early evening event organised by the Utility Strategy Group. The first part of the evening will consist of a keynote presentation by Jake Ulrich, Managing Director of Centrica, and contributions from Didier Holleaux, VP Exploration & Production at Gaz de France, and further invited experts. There will then be questions from the theatre audience to a panel, chaired by the Energy Saving Trust & Utility Strategy Group Chairman, Eddie Hyams.

Britain may be getting new gas infrastructure - but does that actually guarantee that the gas will flow in? CCGT is the default generation option of the UK. But even if there is a second 'dash for gas' to replace aging coal and nuclear generation plant, as Britain’s North Sea Continental Shelf gas reserves run down, the country’s generators will become increasingly reliant on imported gas.

Initially, these imports will come largely from Norway. But supply through the Langeled pipeline, connecting Norwegian gas-fields to the UK, is proving less secure than anticipated, with some gas heading for higher prices in Continental Europe instead.

Aside from Norway, Russia, Algeria and some Middle East states will continue to be the EU's prime gas suppliers. But how risky - both in terms of supply and price - is dependence upon modern-day Russia and how worried should we be about the impact of political instability in the Middle East on our gas supplies?

And, whilst LNG, the great hope of gas enthusiasts, may have its UK terminals, the Welsh terminals have not been delivered on time and LNG does not always flow into Isle of Grain when it is needed. After all, having the infrastructure in place does not mean that the gas is actually arriving – regional and global LNG markets enable LNG to be diverted from a UK destination to Henry Hub in the US, or even to Japan and China.

This Utility Strategy Group debate brings together a panel of gas industry experts at the end of what might have been a challenging winter for energy provision, to explore how viable Britain’s future reliance on imported gas is – whatever infrastructure may be in place - now or in the future.

Time & Venue

Join us at from 4.30pm for a 5pm start on Wednesday 2 April at the Simmons & Simmons Lecture Theatre, City Point, One Ropemaker Street,London EC2Y 9SS(nearest Underground Moorgate). Finish around 6.30pm followed by drinks, canapes and networking.

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