Europe gas supply issues to be discussed at summit in London

With the Russian-Ukrainian crisis having dramatically underlined the fragility of
Europe’s strategic bargaining position with Russia due to energy dependency, the
summit will examine the diversification of, and continued security of supply issues
relating to the future use for natural gas within the union.

Leading industry figures including Jean-Francois Cirelli, President of the world’s
largest utility company, GDF SUEZ; will debate Europe’s energy future at the 29th
annual European Autumn Gas Conference with other key consumers, suppliers and
regulators of gas. As European utilities continue to struggle to keep costs of energy
for their customers down, the critical role for natural gas in the face of increasingly-
demanding carbon emissions tightening by the EU, means decisions made now
about energy diversity will impact on all member states over the coming decades.
As Europe faces growing competition for fuels such as gas and coal from rapidly-
expanding consumer regions such as Asia, the race is on to secure long-term stability,
fair pricing and diversity of supply to ensure Europe’s energy demands continue to
be met.

Natural gas has struggled to find favour across many European countries in recent
years as green energy subsidies and cheaper imported coal have undermined the fuel,
but the London summit aims to address the critical role that natural gas has to play
as a leading ‘bridge’ fuel to a carbon neutral economy as recently highlighted by
the Nobel-prize winning Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC), Rajendra Pachauri. The report, part of a United Nations review, stated:

“Greenhouse gas emissions from energy supply can be reduced significantly by replacing
current world average coal-fired power plants with modern, highly efficient natural gas
combined‐cycle power plants.”

Such reports have again underlined to the natural gas industry the urgency in raising
its game by taking such messages to those in national government, who are required to
drive down carbon emissions in the short to medium term and fulfil emissions obligations.
Many Chief Executives and board-level members of key organisations will be present and
making their contributions to the energy debate, including; Phillippe Sauquet, President
of Total Gas & Power, Marcelino Oreja Arburúa, Chief Executive Officer of ENAGAS, Sean
Waring, Managing Director of Interconnector, Jean-Marc Leroy, Chief Executive Officer
of Storengy, and Jogchum Brinksma, Managing Director of Citigroup Global Commodities.

Many Chief Executives and board-level members of key organisations will be present and
making their contributions to the energy debate, including; Phillippe Sauquet, President
of Total Gas & Power, Marcelino Oreja Arburúa, Chief Executive Officer of ENAGAS, Sean
Waring, Managing Director of Interconnector, Jean-Marc Leroy, Chief Executive Officer
of Storengy, and Jogchum Brinksma, Managing Director of Citigroup Global Commodities.

The 29th European Autumn Gas Conference takes place between 28-30 October at the Grange
St Paul’s Hotel, City of London.