Publications

LNG: A Seriously Underrated Low-Carbon Energy Technology (April 2010) By Robert Pritchard, Executive Director, APGAS Limited This paper, which has been distributed to the APEC Energy Working Group, calls on climate policymakers (as distinct from energy policymakers) to recognise the clean attributes of natural gas and to pursue the accelerated development of LNG trade as a strategy to address climate change. Download here

Risks and Opportunities for LNG Trade in the Current Climate Change Debate (November 2009) By Robert Pritchard, Executive Director, APGAS Limited LNG is presently the only major energy export that has the potential both to reduce the pace of growth of global GHG emissions and to alleviate energy security concerns. Further expansion of APEC LNG trade and investment will open up the pathway to a sustainable energy system in the APEC region and will help underwrite a clean energy future for APEC economies.  Download here

LNG Industry Review by the International Gas Union (October 2009) This paper is the latest triennial review of the worldwide LNG industry carried out by the IGU's LNG Committee up to the end of 2008. It is a comprehensive review that covers all segments of the LNG supply chain (production capacity, shipping and receiving terminals) as well as trade data for the 3 year period. It was released at the World Gas Conference in Argentina in October 2009. APGAS expresses its deep appreciation to the IGU for its willingness to share the results of this valuable review. Download here

Natural Gas: A Bridge Fuel for the 21st Century (August 2009) By John Podesta and Timothy Wirth This paper by two prominent US figures criticises the inadequate treatment of natural gas by the US Waxman - Markey Bill. It proposes a number of policies that would increase the use of natural gas and low-carbon energy sources while providing protection for the climate. The paper emphasises that natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel - producing less than half the carbon pollution of coal. Recent technological advancements make affordable the development of unconventional natural gas resources. The authors write that this creates an unprecedented opportunity to use gas as a bridge fuel to a 21stcentury energy economy that relies on efficiency, renewable sources and low-carbon fossil fuels. Download here.

Natural Gas in China: Market evolution and strategy (June 2009).  A Working Paper by Nobuyuki Higashi, International Energy Agency, Paris This paper examines the implications in the global context of the evolution of China's natural gas market.  The energy diversification from coal to natural gas will reduce marginal emissions of greenhouse gas per unit of energy consumption in China. China's natural gas market will become more attractive for exporters, both for pipeline gas and LNG.  China is expected to become the largest pipeline gas importer and the third-largest LNG importer in the Asia-Pacific region by 2015. China seems to be accelerating its investments and acquisitions to obtain energy resources abroad, taking advantage of the lower global price of assets and using abundant reserves of foreign currency.  China's aggressive investments in oil and gas projects could contribute to an increase in world supply capacity. The paper may be downloaded from the IEA website: at http://www.iea.org/textbase/papers/2009/nat_gas_china.pdf

Transit Troubles: Pipelines as a Source of Conflict A report by Professor Paul Stevens of Chatham House, UK  (March 2009) Transit oil and gas pipelines have tended to produce conflict and disagreement, often resulting in the cessation of throughput. Although it is tempting to attribute this to poor political relations between neighbours, the 'transit terms' - tariffs and offtake terms by which transit countries are rewarded for allowing transit, are also important. Professor Stevens raises three questions to which he also provides the answers: 1.     Why will oil and gas transit pipelines become more important to global energy markets in the future? 2.     Why has the history of transit pipelines been littered with conflict? 3.     What might be done to make transit pipelines less troublesome? Professor Stevens' report may be downloaded from the Chatham House website: www.chathamhouse.org.uk/research/eedp/papers/view/-/id/712/

LNG: The Key Fuel in a Sustainable Global Energy System (February 2009) This paper was presented at the World Energy Council Committee on Cleaner Fossil Fuel Systems held in Dubai.  Author: Robert Pritchard, Technical Director, APGAS. Download here

The Nature of LNG Arbitrage, and an Analysis of the Main Barriers for the Growth of the Global LNG Arbitrage Market (February 2009) This is an insightful and thought-provoking guide to LNG arbitrage published by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.  It was written by Polina Zhuravleva for her Masters thesis, and her definitions and classifications of different types of trade, and barriers to future development of trade, are a particularly useful contribution to a subject where labels such as 'arbitrage' and 'spot trade' are often obstacles to understanding exactly what is being discussed. Download here

The Key Role of LNG in the Climate Change Debate (December 2008) APGAS prepared a briefing note for the December 2008 meeting of the APEC Energy Working Group which took place in the Philippines. We believe the importance of LNG as a transitional fuel to a low-carbon future has been underrated. We hope that the APEC EWG will act on our recommendation to establish an Energy and Climate Change Task Force where the practical aspects of this subject can be explored in greater depth.  Download here

Current Challenges in APEC Natural Gas Trade  (September 2008) Delivered by APGAS Director, Robert Pritchard, at the 2008 APEC Energy Trade and Investment Roundtable, Cairns, Qld.   Download here

The APGAS Initiative After Three Years - the Way Ahead: An Issues Paper for Stakeholders  (June 2008) Download here

 

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