PROGRAMME COMMITTEE B: STRATEGY

PGC B is responsible for analysis of gas supply, demand, international trade, price formation and regulation, as key factors related to Corporate Strategies.

CHAIRMAN	VICE-CHAIRMAN	SECRETARY
Dr. Colin Lyle	Mr Fethi Arabi	Mr. Harry Whitaker

Managing Director	Director of Strategy	Lead Analyst
Gas Markets Insight	Sonatrach	Gas Markets & Trading
30 Grove Crescent Kingston upon Thames	Djenane El Malik, Hydra	BG Group 100 TVP Drive
Surrey KT1 2DG	Algiers	Reading, RG6 1PT
United Kingdom	Algeria	United Kingdom
tel + 44 208 123 3856	tel + (213) 21547000 ext. 4008	tel +(44) 118 929 3107
fax +	fax + (213) 021546408	fax + (44) 118 929 2850
CL@gmi.eu.com	FETHI.ARABI@sonatrach.dz	Harry.whitaker@bg-group.com

Scope and Purposes

PGC B is responsible for analysis of gas supply, demand, international trade, price formation and regulation, as key factors related to Corporate Strategies.

Our new activities will carry forward the strategic challenges identified in the IGU 2030 Gas Industry Study (presented at Buenos Aires, October 2009).

The last few years have brought about significant changes affecting our industry:

Regional gas markets expanded, international trade and global price interactions increased, bringing gas onto the political agenda through concerns about gas price volatility and security of supply and demand.
Unconventional gas sources experienced an upsurge in some developed markets, influencing regional wholesale prices and global LNG trade patterns.
Natural gas demand responded to strong economic growth and investment, commodity prices reached all-time highs while environmental concerns also increased.

Then, from summer 2008, commodity prices fell sharply with the impact of the global economic downturn. Lower industrial output reduced gas demand. In 2009 it is unclear how long the world will remain in recession, what further intervention Governments will make in the financial and energy markets, and if there will be a new global deal on climate change.

What are the regional and global implications for the supply/demand balance and gas price formation?
Which Government policies and regulations will most influence company strategies in each part of the gas chain?
How can gas companies support economic growth at a time of environmental challenges and economic uncertainties?

To tackle questions like these, PGC-B will work in three Study Groups, building on our output from the Argentine triennium: