Gastech in Singapore - a celebration of the LNG sector

For the organisers of Gastech 2023, which took place in the first week of September in Singapore, the event was a triumph. Due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, there were fewer Russian companies in attendance, but the war in Europe has opened the way for other suppliers, which were much in evidence.

According to the organisers, 44,957 energy industry professionals attended the exhibition, conferences, roundtables and receptions and over 750 companies took part in exhibiting, including Riviera Maritime Media’s LNG Shipping & Terminals.

The subjects under discussion ranged from how to achieve energy security, the potential of hydrogen, and multinational collaboration on net-zero goals. Attendees discussed the energy transition, including the need to prioritise greenhouse gas emissions reductions, fund vital research and development programmes, and give voice to industry priorities in global policy discussions.

Various speakers commended the strength of this year’s event and its success in creating consensus around the critical role of natural gas, LNG, and hydrogen as key enablers of future energy security and accelerators of the energy transition.

“Part of the richness of Gastech is that we do not know exactly what we will be talking about next year”

Macquarie Bank, managing director, upstream energy capital, Nick Milne, said: “Natural gas and LNG are often talked about as bridging fuels. Well, that bridge has gotten longer. We have already grown the programme by about 25% since the pre-pandemic conferences, and what we have brought with that is a lot more diversity in terms of profile and debate – the programme has really adapted. Part of the richness of Gastech is that we do not know exactly what we will be talking about next year.”

Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, global research scholar, Anne-Sophie Corbeau, said: “We have already started working on Gastech 2024, as we are always thinking ahead. We are going to continue to focus on the major themes of decarbonisation.”

Next year, Gastech will return to Houston for the first time since 2019. Known as the Energy Capital of the World, the city is home to companies that span the energy value chain, and some of the world’s largest LNG export facilities, as well as being a hub for innovation and technology.

Houston First Corporation president and CEO, Michael Heckman, said: “Gastech is a global event that draws tens of thousands of attendees and millions of dollars in economic impact to its host city, and we are incredibly excited to have it in Houston. The conversation around the future of the energy industry is a different one today than it was just five years ago when Gastech was last here. We believe the role Houston is playing in leading the energy transition to a low-carbon future makes this an ideal place to host this important global event and we look forward to expanding on the success we had in 2019 when Gastech returns next year.”

LNG Shipping & Terminals will be attending Gastech in Houston in September 2024, but before then, there is the shipowner- and operator-focused LNG Shipping & Terminals Conference 2023, taking place 14-15 November 2023 in London.