Discussions on the future of the LNG sector were held during two days at the 9th International LNG Congress (LNGCON) in Dusseldorf, Germany on March, 6-7, 2023. The Congress gathered key players of the industry to highlight topics of LNG’s role in energy transition, latest developments and asset solutions technologies, small-scale LNG facilities, automation technologies in LNG processes, alternative fuels, and sustainable production, transportation and liquefaction of natural gas.
Since 2016, the International LNG Congress (LNGCON) has welcomed gas majors, EPC companies, local gas companies, service and equipment providers, terminals, ports, truck and fleet owners, and governmental bodies to look through trends of the LNG industry and share innovative solutions.
In 2023 the 9th edition of the International LNG Congress assembled its participants in the Hilton Hotel, located in Dusseldorf. The Congress was supported by the Host Regional Partner – Hanseatic Energy Hub (HEH) that launched the Stade LNG terminal in Germany. These days Stade LNG terminal for liquefied gases “diversifies Germany’s import options for meeting affordable energy needs and contributes to a secure and sustainable supply”. Danielle Stoves, Commercial & Regulatory Director at HEH, shared an update on the LNG terminal project in Stade at the closing panel of LNGCON 2023. Danielle emphasised: “An emission-free terminal for LNG will commence operation at the Stade industrial park, whose infrastructure is also approved for bio-LNG and synthetic natural gas (SNG). Stade will also be the site of one of the five FSRUs chartered by the German government, a floating LNG terminal that is set to begin operations at the end of 2023”.
As for the audience, among the delegates were representatives from BP, Chevron, Naturgy, Shell, Repsol, Gasunie, Eni, Titan, Wood, and other LNG experts.
LNGCON 2023 began with an executive opening panel covering the topic of energy transition and LNG role in this process. Natalya Kusnetsova, Project Director of LNGCON, and Bertrand Leroy, Group GAS Director at Cryostar SAS, welcomed all the participants and gave the floor to Martin Cartwright from DNV to present the forecast to 2050. Then Alessio Torelli, Chairman & Managing Director at Snam4Mobility, shared Snam plans to put in operation small-scale LNG services and to increase its fueling stations network to meet the bio-LNG increase in demand. Other speakers from LIQVIS, Hoegh LNG, and PT Pertamina Gas gave an outlook to the LNG market of today and tomorrow.
The rest of the first day of the Congress delegates attended panel discussions and technical sessions dedicated to decarbonisation, bunkering, transportation, and terminal technologies. To round off the day, delegates visited the gala dinner, held in Seifenfabrik Dr. Thompson, which used to be the famous soap powder factory. Those days the fashionable restaurant opened its door to the Congress delegates to continue networking and then to feel an atmospheric ambience both indoors and outdoors.
The second day of the Congress started with a technical session on small-scale LNG case-studies and a panel discussion on LNG as an alternative to hydrogen. For instance, Julia Turner from McDermott gave a review of a number of concepts, highlighting the key drivers for small scale LNG projects and appropriate market conditions that help drive an economic and pragmatic solution. Also, Christian Hoellinger from Shell gave a speech on co-existing bioLNG and hydrogen together in the heavy duty road transport sector.
Moreover, delegates participated in the roundtable dedicated to the potential of alternative fuels. They brought up questions and expressed opinions on new approaches and implementation of bio-LNG and synthetic LNG.
LNGCON 2023 was finished by the closing panel where delegates reviewed the topics of countries expanding on the LNG market, trading and pricing strategies, and new projects in the LNG industry.
However, the LNGCON 2023 wasn’t only about discussion on LNG projects and insights. LNGCON 2023 had a closed door format that provided its participants with an opportunity to network only with top management and key technical representatives of the LNG industry. More than 380 delegates attended the Congress and the total number of meetings was 280.
The next, 10th anniversary edition, of the International LNG Congress is going to take place in Italy on 4-5, March, 2024. Do not miss the chance to join LNG industry leaders!
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