Evolutionary Times for Traditional European Gas Hub: The Hague Unveiled as Innovative Host City for Major Energy Event

LONDON, November 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Europe's traditional natural gas hubs and rising contenders are now assessing the vital strategy of supply diversity heading into 2016. As traditional gas sources dwindle, new market sources are competing from North American LNG, increased production in Algeria and Azerbaijan, and future prospects from Iran and Egypt. Major energy companies are vying for increased market share to Europe amidst a backdrop of depressed natural gas prices and calls for the decoupling of oil index-linked LNG cargo prices.

Central to one of the traditional European trading hubs - the North West gas hub - the Netherlands claims the largest gas field in Europe as well as having deep historical connections to the offshore oil & gas industry allied with state-of-the-art infrastructure and an innovative trading environment. As Europe becomes an increasingly interconnected energy region, it is fitting that the European Autumn Gas Conference (EAGC), which celebrated its 30^th edition this week in Geneva, is enthusiastic to select a host city that embodies all these dynamic elements. This week's announcement that The Hague has been selected as the city to take EAGC into its fourth decade reflects the progressive audience that the conference attracts.

Trading liquidity, emerging suppliers and new infrastructure projects are key issues in the European gas landscape over the next year as it develops a more global outlook. Encapsulating these trends, and near to The Hague, is the world-renowned port of Rotterdam with its new Gate ("Gas Access to Europe") LNG Terminal holding initial throughput capacity of 12 bcmpa, capable of receiving these global LNG cargoes to feed into the European system. Ongoing European-wide midstream projects involving major foreign investments in gas storage are set to come on-stream next year, along with cross-border TSO partnerships, making this an evolutionary time for European gas and one that EAGC 2016 is well positioned to address.

"More than ever the changes taking shape in the energy field require thorough debate and new insights so that the gas industry can feed its strategies and actions effectively" states Han Fennema, Chairman & CEO of Gasunie who are proud sponsors of the 31^st EAGC 2016 in The Hague. Mr Fennema adds, "We are welcoming EAGC in the Netherlands as a reputed platform for exchanging facts, views and visions."

For further information on the 2016 EAGC, contact Damian Howard on damianhoward@dmgevents.com  or call +44-(0)203-772-6038.