- International Energy Forum
- Global Energy Security Through Dialogue
- Knowledge Generation Through Dialogue
Abu Dhabi, UAE
IEF Secretary General, Dr Sun Xiansheng was invited to deliver a keynote speech and to participate in specialist sessions at the 3rd GCC Petroleum Media Forum, held on 19-20 April 2017 in Abu Dhabi, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates.
HE Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy (UAE) hosted the meeting in which HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State UAE & CEO, ADNOC Group (UAE), HE Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa, Minister of Oil (Bahrain), HE Essam Abdul Mohsen Al-Marzouq, Minister of Oil (Kuwait), HE Dr Mohammed Al Rumhi, Minister of Oil & Gas (Oman), HE Dr Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of Energy & Industry (Qatar), HE Khalid Al Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry & Mineral Resources (Saudi Arabia), and HE Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, OPEC Secretary General also took part along with a number of global media personalities, who gave their views on the relationship between the media and the energy industry at large.
The UAE announced that the 3rd Gulf Cooperation Council Petroleum Media Forum was convened with the intent to accelerate the GCC petroleum media strategy and elevate the perception of the oil industry as well as to highlight the major contribution of the GCC countries in the global economy. The forum also aimed to enhance the capacity of the local media and build a roadmap to develop specialised petroleum media capabilities in the region.
Dr Sun’s keynote speech entitled “The Role of Data in Accurate Energy News” is available for download below.
Tunis, Tunisia
The 15th Regional JODI Training Workshop for Africa and MENA countries was held in Tunis from 11-13 April 2017. The event, hosted by the Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Renewable Energy of Tunisia, was organised by the IEF in collaboration with the African Energy Commission (AFREC), and the support of other JODI Partners (GECF, IEA, OPEC, and UNSD).
More than sixty statistical officers in charge of hydrocarbon data collection at national administrations of African and MENA countries took part in the workshop which was designed to raise awareness and build better understanding of the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) and improved data submissions from this key region. Tunisian participants from the Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Renewable Energy, the National Institute of Statistics ETAP, and other government agencies, were also joined by a delegation from the United Arab Emirates.
Hands-on training sessions were a key feature of the workshop, and participants took full advantage of the opportunity of the interactive nature of the programme to exchange views on their experience in dealing with energy statistics in general and JODI in particular.
Participants in the JODI workshop also attended the opening session of the 3rd IEF-OFID Symposium on Energy Poverty that was held in parallel with the JODI event. Discussions in the joint session touched upon the value of accurate statistical data to the alleviation of energy poverty, by facilitating improved decision-making, and removing some of the elements of uncertainty that may be hampering investment.
JODI Partners agreed that they would follow-up on action items and commitments made by countries participating in the workshop to underpin the excellent progress already made, and to ensure that data transparency in this key region continues to improve.
For more information about this and other Joint Organisations Data Initiative events please visit the JODI website.
Tunis, Tunisia
To advance the dialogue on the eradication of energy poverty in Africa, the International Energy Forum (IEF) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) convened the 3rd IEF - OFID Symposium on Energy Poverty with the support of the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies of Tunisia on 11-12 April 2017 in Tunis.
The Symposium was opened by HE Hela Cheikhrouhou, Minister of Energy, Mines and Renewable Energies of Tunisia represented by Mr Hamdi Harrouch, Director General of the National Energy Conservation Agency on behalf of the host country, Dr Sun Xiansheng, Secretary General IEF, and Mr Suleiman Jasir Al-Herbish, Director General and the Chief Executive Officer, represented by Dr Fuad Siala, Senior Advisor of OFID.
The Symposium participants comprised a wide range of representatives from African countries, the African Energy Commission (AFREC), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), and representatives of the partner organisations of the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI), including the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the United Nations Statistics Division, the Gas Exporting Country Form (GECF), as well as international energy sector practitioners from the private sector and the International Gas Union (IGU).
Participants focused on accelerating collective efforts to provide access to modern energy services in African nations by 2030 in accordance with globally agreed goals. The symposium addressed the extent and the consequences of energy poverty, the roles that various energy sources and technology play, and the policy and regulatory options available to African countries to accelerate investment in alleviating energy poverty.
The Symposium noted that efforts to eradicate energy poverty must be technology neutral. Renewable energy technologies offer new opportunities to overcome energy poverty and achieve a secure and sustainable provision of modern energy services in Africa where economics permit. Fossil fuels and related technologies aimed at reducing emissions and air pollution in major cities continue to be important to meet growing energy demand and ensure equitable development on the African continent. Poor countries cannot be deprived of energy to grow their economies and keep up with demographic trends during the transition to a more diversified and sustainable energy mix.
Symposium participants exchanged views on enhancing international cooperation and applauded the progress made by African countries in this regard in collaboration with international organisations. Delegates noted that the challenge to eradicate energy poverty in Africa is much bigger than any stakeholder can overcome individually. There is a clear need to broaden partnership and strengthen international cooperation for efforts to be well targeted and successful. IEF and OFID propose to continue their collaboration on the eradication of energy poverty and step up their efforts to build capacity on related energy data collection together with JODI Partners and other relevant international organisations.
Presentations, speeches and the concluding statement will be available to download below as they become available.
Doha, Qatar
IEF Secretary General Dr Sun Xiansheng was honoured to be invited to deliver the 22nd GECF Monthly Gas Lecture at the headquarters of the GECF in Doha, Qatar on 5 April, 2017.
Dr Sun delivered a presentation on "Perspectives on Gas Market Developments for Sustainable Growth and Energy Transitions" to the gathered audience of Ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps, academic, international oil and gas companies’ executives, businesses as well as senior experts and analysts from the gas sector.
Dr Sun shared IEF perspectives on gas market developments for sustainable growth and energy transitions. Recognising the scope for gas to contribute to growth and transition, the IEF Secretary General also looked forward to further exploring the potential for the IEF and GECF to work together to help overcome gas market challenges, secure an orderly energy transition, and a sustainable, healthy and affordable energy future for all.
Berlin, Germany
At the 2nd G20 Energy and Sustainability Working Group meeting in Berlin the IEF updated delegates on the 1st IEF-EU Energy Day (Riyadh, 14 February) which provided a platform focused on cooperation with the EU on energy efficiency and renewable energies in the context of the G20 IEF Knowledge Sharing Framework on Energy Efficiency as agreed under the G20 Presidency of China in 2016.
The IEF also referred to the upcoming Asian Energy Efficiency Conference and Exhibition as the next major event under this work stream, and notified ESWG Delegates that all G20 Ministers would be invited to strengthen international cooperation on energy efficiency and new technologies in the framework of the producer-consumer dialogue in accordance with the outcomes of the IEF15 International Ministerial Energy Forum hosted by Algiers in 2016.
The IEF Energy Efficiency Knowledge Sharing Framework update was delivered by Senior Energy Analyst Christof van Agt, and is available to download below.
Vienna, Austria
The International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Energy Forum (IEF) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) met at the OPEC Secretariat in Vienna, Austria, to participate in the 2nd Joint IEA-IEF-OPEC Technical Meeting on the Interactions between Physical and Financial Energy Markets on 16 March 2017. The Joint Meeting was the 7th event in this ongoing dialogue.
The high-level meeting, which gathered government officials, regulatory bodies, market analysts and other experts was chaired by OPEC Secretary General, HE Mr Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, together with HE Dr Sun Xiansheng, Secretary General of the IEF, and Mr Neil Atkinson, Head of the Oil Industry and Markets Division at the IEA.
Addressing participants, HE Mr Barkindo noted that "each brings a different perspective of the market - from the financial side, the physical side, governments, regulatory bodies, market analysts and experts. This is a testament to the strengths of this dialogue as it allows us to exchange views and collectively present a more complete and rounded picture of the market."
IEF Secretary General, HE Dr Sun underscored the strong relationship between the IEF and oil producers and consumers like OPEC and IEA, noting that "the relevance of inclusive dialogue cannot be overstated considering the more fluid dynamics the physical and financial energy markets are exposed to." He further noted that "the IEF remains committed to enhancing energy market transparency through dialogue with physical and financial energy market participants from consumer and producer countries, and the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI)."
Representing the IEA, Mr Atkinson noted that "the interaction amongst players in the oil market remains a major priority if we are to better understand each other’s interests and how common ground can be found. The IEA strongly supports the work of this meeting and looks forward to future engagement with our colleagues from OPEC and the IEF."
Discussions during the one-day event were structured into four sessions, focused on the following key topics:
The Joint Technical Meeting is one part of the trilateral work programme established by the three organisations and endorsed by energy ministers at the 12th International Energy Forum in Cancún, Mexico, in March 2010. Since then, the joint IEA-IEF-OPEC meetings covering the evolving inter-linkages between physical and financial energy markets have developed into a unique, high-level technical event and bring together a diverse range of market participants to discuss issues that are not addressed in other high-level fora.
The trilateral cooperation between the three organisations was recently commended by the G20 Energy Ministers in their Beijing Communique in June 2016, which requested the organisations to continue their fruitful collaboration to further enhance understanding of the interaction between physical and financial markets. The Energy Ministers at the 15th International Energy Forum in Algeria in September 2016 further endorsed the value of this important consumer-producer dialogue.
To encourage open and informative discussion, the Joint Meeting was held under the Chatham House Rule, with participation limited to key market participants on the financial and physical sides of the market.
Vienna, Austria
The IEF chaired an Inter Secretariat Meeting of JODI partner organisations including APEC, GECF, IEA, IEF, OLADE, OPEC, & UNSD in Vienna on 13-14 March 2017.
The meeting, hosted by OPEC at their Headquarters in Vienna focused on reviewing progress and action plans in regard to the following:
Partners voiced support for the plan to hold the next JODI Workshop for Africa region in Tunisia on 11-13 April 2017 back-to-back with the 3rd IEF-OFID Symposium on Energy Poverty, thus demonstrating the link between energy data transparency and efforts to alleviate energy poverty in Africa.
Moreover, Partners agreed on the importance of maintaining an ongoing programme of JODI data-user seminars, and to further reinforce links with the JODI data-user community by holding the 13th JODI international conference in 2017 so as to deepen stakeholder engagement (users / analysts / providers of data / industry) in support of the ongoing development of the initiative.
Partners also agreed on a set of actions to improve coal data transparency, including through harmonisation and dissemination of coal data already routinely collected by some of the JODI partner organisations.
An agreement in principle was also reached to facilitate the dissemination of JODI data on the electronic platforms of data re-distribution agencies later in 2017, assuming that agreed pre-conditions are met.
Boston, USA
As the largest student-led energy conference in the US, the MIT Energy Conference has become a premier event to connect professionals, policymakers, academics, and students in the energy industry.
More changes have occurred in the global energy sector in the past decade than in the 100 years prior. In its 12th edition, the MIT Energy Conference explored changes in production and conversion, transmission and storage, and consumption with a focus on enabling the next energy paradigm.
The conference, which was opened by HE Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (India) gathered an impressive array of leaders and visionaries from industry, government, the scientific community, and the private sector that are looking at the whole value chain in a holistic way, to speak about and debate the development of these complex changes, which are redefining the future of energy worldwide.
IEF Secretary General, Dr Sun Xiansheng delivered a keynote presentation: “Opportunity. Uncertainty. Risk” which is available for download below.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The Secretary General of the International Energy Forum and the President of the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center welcomed participants in the Third IEF-KAPSARC Thought-Leaders’ Roundtable discussion on oil markets at IEF headquarters in Riyadh on 16 February.
Discussions focused on the theme: "Post-Paris Agreement: A World of Peak Oil Demand?"
Many of the parties to the ‘Paris Agreement’, that entered force on 4 November 2016, anticipated that its subsequent implementation would lead to a world of peak oil demand. However, the transition through a demand peak, should investors expect it to arrive within the time horizons of their medium-term oilfield developments, might increase price volatility. Paradoxically, a reduced reliance on fossil fuels among consumer nations might lead to periods of supply shortage while at other points of an accentuated cycle, exporters may compete for market share after giving up hope of a rebound in prices.
Energy Ministers gathered at the 15th International Energy Forum on 26-28 September 2016 called for an enhanced role of the producer-consumer dialogue and greater market transparency. An inclusive and energy-technology neutral dialogue among producing and consuming countries will offer more clarity to investors and market participants, and so may contribute to a more orderly and cost efficient transformation of energy markets. On one hand, this will facilitate more orderly transitions between investment cycles in the interest of overall energy market security. On the other hand, accelerated deployment of energy efficiency and new energy technologies in oil producing and consuming growth markets will foster energy productivity gains across regions and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions more swiftly, placing global economic growth on more advanced and healthier footings.
The 3rd IEF-KAPSARC Thought Leaders’ Roundtable invited thought leaders and government and industry representatives to collectively look beyond the corners of these policy turns and physical market developments to assess what their likely impact is on the dynamics of global oil supply and demand in the medium and long term.
This roundtable launched a year-long engagement to explore scenarios for producers and consumers navigating the transition to a lower carbon energy future. During the year, participants will be invited to contribute intellectually to the development of modelling infrastructure to describe the transition and its impacts on the global economy - particularly the risks of increased volatility in the oil market and the potential impacts on international energy relations. Workshops in The Netherlands, Dubai, UK and Saudi Arabia with a joint study report to be issued late in 2017.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The Seventh IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium on Energy Outlooks took place on 15 February 2017 at the IEF Headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Dr Sun Xiansheng, the Secretary General of the International Energy Forum opened the Symposium together with the Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, HE Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo and the Director, Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks of the International Energy Agency, Dr Kamel Ben Naceur.
HE Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources (Saudi Arabia), delivered a keynote speech, and participants also received a special address delivered on behalf of HE Shamshad Akhtar, Under Secretary General of the United Nations & Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
HE Khalid Al Falih - Interview
HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa - Interview
HE Mohamed Zayed Awad - Interview
Mohammed Barkindo - Interview
Dr Sun Xiansheng - Interview
Kamel Ben Naceur - Interview
Mohamed Hamel - Interview
Oswaldo Tapia - Interview
Greg Priddy - Interview
Mark Finley - Interview
Eric Aboussouan - Interview
Dr Abhishek Deshpande - Interview
Christof Rühl - Interview
Dr Iván Martén - Interview
Dr Tatiana Mitrova - Interview
Bob McNally - Interview
Ibrahim Al Muhanna - Interview
Pedro Antonio Merino Garcia - Interview
Jamie Webster - Interview
Trisha Curtis - Interview
Dr Talaat Al-Dafer - Interview
David Fyfe - Interview
Alan Gelder - Interview
Ann-Louise Hittle - Interview
Richard Newell - Interview
Dr Sun Xiansheng, IEF Secretary General, moderated discussions of the first session with a focus on the latest OPEC and IEA energy outlooks and a comparative analysis of short-, medium-, and long-term energy outlooks released by the IEA and OPEC in 2016 provided by the IEF-RFF Introductory Background Paper. HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Minister of Oil, Bahrain chaired Session II on Industry views on short-, medium-, and long-term energy outlooks, and HE Mohamed Zayed Awad Mousa, Minister of Petroleum, Sudan chaired the final session on the subject of Transportation.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) each year publish energy market outlooks based on the rigorous analysis of available statistical data, market fundamentals, macroeconomic developments, policy trends and assumptions. In addition, on the occasion of the biennial International Energy Forum Ministerial meetings, both organisations present focused findings that they derive from their analysis and outlooks. The Seventh Symposium is part of a wider trilateral work programme undertaken by the IEA, IEF and OPEC in recognition of mandates from the Energy Ministers of the IEF and G20 countries. The underlying principle of the Symposium is to improve transparency, and facilitate comparability among the various outlook scenarios, and help advance a data-driven and well informed producer-consumer dialogue.
In addition to the Joint IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposia on Energy Outlooks, the joint collaboration involves High-Level Workshops on Physical and Financial Energy Market Interactions and Gas and Coal Market Outlooks.
Additional detail about the Seventh Joint Symposium will be forthcoming shortly.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The IEF was pleased to host the 1st IEF-EU Energy Day at its headquarters on 14 February 2017. IEF Secretary General, Dr Sun Xiansheng opened the event alongside EU Ambassador HE Michele Cervone d’Urso and noted the importance of this inaugural IEF-EU Energy Day as a first step to strengthened IEF-EU relations, and to better inform and further enrich the producer-consumer dialogue.
Mr Hans Steen, Head of International Relations at the European Commission Directorate for Energy delivered a key note speech: “EU energy policies - the international perspective” during the opening session. Mr Steen was joined by guest speakers from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf Region and Europe. The IEF Secretary General noted that the sharing of insights in energy policy and market developments among government and industry officials from IEF and EU member countries strengthens cooperation on energy security, healthy energy market development and orderly transitions to achieve global goals. He further noted that content and feedback from the meeting would help inform the 1st IEF Energy Efficiency and New Technologies Ministerial that Saudi Arabia will host jointly with Japan on 30 October 2017, and the 7th Asian Energy Ministerial hosted by Thailand on the IEF platform in Bangkok on 1-3 November shortly thereafter, as well as many other forthcoming IEF dialogue events including with the EU.
Photo: From left to right: Hans van Steen, Sun Xiansheng, Lucie Berger, Faisal S. Alfadl, Ahmed Al-Ebrahim, Talaat Dafer Al Kahtani
Photo: Left to right: Naif Alragass, Hans van Steen, Sun Xiansheng
Other EU and GCC company and government representatives invited
Muscat, Oman
The 4th Argus Middle East Crude Conference hosted the Secretary General of the IEF, Dr Sun Xiansheng alongside the Under Secretary of Oil and Gas of Oman, HE Salim Al-Aufi as key note speakers among other senior industry and government representatives at the Al Bustan Palace in Muscat, Oman on 23-24 January 2017.
The IEF Secretary General discussed the new features of the global oil market, proposing to strengthen the Joint Organisation's Transparency Initiative (JODI), make full use of the platform for dialogue and cooperation that the IEF uniquely provides to accommodate new trends in green, low carbon, and efficiency, strengthening, secure, and sustainable energy market functioning for all.
The Under Secretary of Oil and Gas of Oman highlighted the strategic position and longstanding tradition of Oman in expediting trade and investment flows between the Middle East and Africa with growth markets in Asia and beyond. He also noted that Government and industry cooperation has enabled Oman to reduce upstream unit operating costs, and remove downstream fossil fuel subsidies achieving greater energy productivity in general. Under Secretary Al-Aufi further noted that Oman has successfully attracted substantial new investments in the petrochemical and storage sector in addition to its engagement in the upstream sector that will maintain production at around 1 mb/d.
Challenges in the oil and gas sector also relate to manpower. Oman is extending training opportunities to ensure that employment for Omani talent exists across sectors. The IEF is now working with the Russian Federation on organising the 2nd IEF Conference on Human Resources. The conference will be hosted by the Kingdom of Bahrain, in Manama on 17-18 May 2017.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
On Thursday 19 January 2017 Professor Masakasu Toyoda, CEO and Chairman of the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) visited IEF Headquarters in Riyadh for a bilateral meeting with IEF Secretary General, Dr Sun Xiansheng. Professor Toyoda also delivered an IEF Lecture entitled: "IEEJ Energy Outlook 2016 for Asia/World" to a distinguished gathering of the diplomatic corps and business community of Riyadh.
The Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) was established in June 1966 and certified as an incorporated foundation by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in September that year. The IEEJ has been conducting specialised research activities in the areas of environment and energy economics for 50 years. According to the 2015 Go To Think Tank Index from the University of Pennsylvania, the Institute progressively gained recognition and now ranks Best Energy and Resource Think Tank in the World.
Professor Toyoda has been an active participant in the global energy dialogue for many years, having previously held senior positions at the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) of Japan, which was renamed in 2001 as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). He is a Board Member of KAPSARC, Accenture Global Energy, and Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Professor Toyoda is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Pacific International Center for High Technology and a member of the International Advisory Board of Brunei National Energy Research Institute. The Professor holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Tokyo and a master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University.
Professor Toyoda’s presentation is available for download below.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The IEF was delighted to welcome Dr Urban Rusnák the Secretary General of the International Energy Charter to deliver a lecture at the IEF headquarters today. Ambassador Rusnák’s presentation "The International Energy Charter & International Energy Forum: Existing Complementarities and Possible Synergies" is available for download below.
The fundamental aim of the Energy Charter Treaty is to strengthen the rule of law on energy issues, by creating a level playing field of rules to be observed by all participating governments, thereby mitigating risks associated with energy-related investment and trade.
Further details of the work of the International Energy Charter can be found at their website, and through the key topics discussed during the 27th Energy Charter Conference that was held in Tokyo, Japan on 25-26 November 2016.
Paris, France
The IEF chaired an Inter-Secretariat Meeting of its JODI partner organisations (APEC, Eurostat, GECF, IEA, OLADE, OPEC, & UNSD) in Paris on 15-16 December 2016. The US EIA also participated in the meeting via teleconference to discuss plans for the upcoming JODI Conference in Washington DC.
The meeting, hosted by the IEA at their Headquarters in Paris, focused on reviewing progress and action plans in regard to the following:
In addition to confirming the organisation of the Washington conference, partners discussed on-going cooperation with AFREC and the organisation of a JODI Workshop for the African region in Tunisia in April 2017. The workshop will build on the findings from the JODI Workshop held in Moscow in November 2016 with the participation of more than 40 delegates from the CIS & MENA regions.
Partners also agreed on a set of actions to improve coal data transparency, and efforts to improve synergies among the partners who are already collecting coal data.
Partners also agreed on an action plan to allow JODI data to appear on data re-distributor agencies platforms during 2017.
The meeting concluded with partners agreeing to hold one or two JODI User Seminars during 2017 to continue engagement with JODI users, analysts, and providers of data/industry.
Paris, France
The 3rd IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposium on Gas and Coal Market Outlooks was held at IEA Headquarters in Paris on 14 December 2016 at a time when supply abundance sets the tone in medium term gas and coal market projections, and the rapid entry in force of the UN Paris Agreement points at a new global consensus on emission reductions. Senior experts from government and industry discussed energy market fundamentals, as well as the role of regulation and technology to assess the implications of these developments for the share of gas and coal in the evolution towards healthier energy markets in both producing and consuming countries.
The Symposium is part of the IEA-IEF-OPEC trilateral work programme that aims to improve transparency in the interest of energy security among producing and consuming countries in response to the G20 Cannes Summit Leaders’ Declaration (November 2011) call for "continued dialogue annually between producers and consumers on short medium and long-term outlook and forecasts for oil, gas and coal." G20 and IEF Energy Ministers encouraged the IEA, the IEF and OPEC "to continue their fruitful collaboration", and affirmed their commitment to "strengthen global energy security and facilitate an orderly energy transition" at their recent ministerial meetings held in June and September 2016.
The Symposium considered the dialogue outcomes of the 5th IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum hosted on 6 December 2016 in New Delhi by the government of India, and built on the findings of the earlier held IEA-IEF-OPEC Symposiums on Gas and Coal Market Outlooks referenced below.
The IEF highlights 10 Key IEF Dialogue Insights derived from Symposium discussions. These insights and the Agenda are available for download below:
Session Moderator: Fuad Al Zayer, Co-ordinator Energy Data Transparency (JODI), IEF
Session Moderator: Erfan Vafaie Fard, Analyst - Alternative Sources of Energy, OPEC
Session Moderator: Keisuke Sadamori, Director, Energy Markets and Security, IEA
The 4th Symposium on Gas and Coal Market Outlooks will take place in 2018.
Munich, Germany
The International Energy Forum (IEF) participated in the 1st Group of 20 Energy and Sustainability Working Group (G20 ESWG) Meeting, held under the German Presidency of the G20 with the motto “Shaping an Interconnected World” on 14-15 December 2016 in Munich, Germany.
The Second G20 Energy Ministers’ Meeting called on the International Energy Forum to establish a Knowledge Sharing Framework on Energy Efficiency in support of the G20 Energy Efficiency Leading Programme. This extends work on an Asian Energy Efficiency Knowledge Sharing Framework under the IEF that Energy Ministers gathered at the 6th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable in Doha, Qatar in 2015 endorsed upon a proposal from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the support of Japan.
In presenting options for G20 delegates to consider and support, the IEF briefed the 1st G20 ESWG on the work ongoing for the launch of the Energy Efficiency Knowledge Sharing Framework in collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Japan, and other IEF member countries, as well as with relevant International Organisations.
Mindful of the outcomes of the 15th Session of the IEF International Energy Forum Ministerial Meeting held on 26-28 September in Algiers, Algeria that enhance the IEF producer-consumer dialogue to strengthen energy security and facilitate an orderly energy transition, G20 ESWG delegates expressed their support for this new initiative and welcomed the progress made. Delegates also emphasised the importance of IEF work on market transparency for secure and healthy functioning energy markets, and energy technology neutral debate on the facilitation of long term energy sector investment.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The IEF was delighted to welcome Mr Wim Thomas the Chief Energy Advisor of Shell to deliver an IEF Lecture on the recently published supplement to Shell’s New Lens Scenarios “A Better Life with a Healthy Planet: Pathways to Net-Zero Emissions”. This work illustrates choices, challenges and ideas for society to decarbonise the global economy in a way that Shell believes might address both the challenge of climate change and the desire for broader economic growth.
Shell notes that in spite of the many challenges, the practical details of providing enough energy for a better life for everyone with net-zero emissions can be envisaged - and that is reassuring, even inspiring. But getting there will not be easy. Successful and orderly energy transitions will require a combination of urgency and long term vision in policy making and leadership.
Mr Thomas’ presentation is available for download below and further details of Shell’s New Lens Scenarios can be found on the Shell website.
New Delhi, India
The 5th IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum was held in New Delhi, India on 6 December 2016 back-to-back with PETROTECH 2016.
Photo: IEF SG Sun Xiansheng participated in the Ministerial Session of Petrotech 2016 inaugurated by HE Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister (India)
The main theme of the Forum was "Gas for Growth; improving economic prosperity and living standards". The Government of India hosted this prestigious biennial Ministerial Forum, which was also supported by GAIL (India) Limited and the Natural Gas Society of India.
The International Energy Forum (IEF) and the International Gas Union (IGU) set up this important dialogue platform amongst Ministers, CEOs and experts, aiming to better understand the current state of play in the global gas industry and how the gas sector can contribute to sustainable growth and secure energy future. Changes in global gas supply and demand will continue to impact expectations regarding the urban environment and transport sector and influence the distribution of modern energy services and manufacturing processes around the world. As these trends will have important implications for energy policy and international cooperation, and as a member of both organisations, India was honoured to support this Ministerial dialogue by convening the 5th IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum in New Delhi.
Left to right: Daniel Yergin, Dr Sun Xiansheng, HE Shri Dharmendra Pradhan (India) , David Carroll, HE Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada (Qatar)
5th IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan - Interview
Dr Sun Xiansheng - Interview
Luis Bertran Rafecas - Interview
Shri B C Tripathi - Interview
Dr Hossein Adeli - Interview
Keisuke Sadamori - Interview
Daniel Yergin - Interview
Prof. Hidetoshi Nishimura - Interview
Nobuo Tanaka - Interview
Samer Al Ashgar - Interview
Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi - Interview
Ane de Arino - Interview
David Modesett - Interview
Menelaos Ydreos - Interview
Inaugural Address by HE Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of State, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, India
Setting the scene: Dr Daniel Yergin, Vice Chairman, IHS Markit, Author of The Quest and The Prize (session moderator)
Left to right: Nobuo Tanaka, Fereidun Fesharaki, Daniel Yergin, Dr Sun Xiansheng
The use of gas for power generation, industrial use, heating and transport has increased as a consequence of technological advances, lower prices, and a growing interest in reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Natural gas has become one of the preferred options for enabling access to modern energy services to support public health, economic development and to provide back-up in support of power generation with intermittent renewable energy sources. How the interaction between gas, renewable energies, nuclear and other fossil fuels is managed depends on country specific conditions and policy choices. Yet the contribution that gas makes in advancing economic diversification, sustainable growth, public health and lower emissions goals is widely acknowledged. How does gas combine best with other energy technologies in the policy design of individual producer and consumer countries and across regions?
Open roundtable discussion followed by an interactive survey
Opening Remarks: HE SM Hossein Adeli, Secretary General, Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF)
Setting the Scene: Dr Fereidun Fesharaki, Founder and Chairman of FGE (session moderator)
Photo: Ane Ariño
New gas supply, a slow-down in economic growth and the effect of lower oil prices and competition from other energy sources have further decreased price differentials between spot and oil indexed price mechanisms. As a result, natural gas prices have converged among European, Asian and North American markets. These developments impact gas market integration, including dynamics between pipeline imports and LNG trade at regional and international levels. On the supply side, the export potential from some key gas producers is increasingly being constrained by rising domestic demand. Present price signals and subsidy reforms may further amplify this trend. On the demand side, European and Asian growth markets have experienced a period with high gas import prices and increasingly complex supply dynamics. This stimulated investment in alternative sources including coal, renewables and nuclear. How will supply and demand respond to these changing market conditions and affect regional gas trade? How are pricing barriers and infrastructure needs addressed to connect LNG facilities with power plants, and other inland off-takers, to accelerate gas market growth in India and Asian markets?
Open roundtable discussion followed by an interactive survey
Setting the Scene: Nobuo Tanaka, former IEA Executive Director (session moderator)
Left to right: Samer Ashgar, Luis Bertran Rafecas, Roger Bounds, David Modesett, Daniel Yergin
New realities give rise to new questions. These concern the impact of current policy and price signals on gas sector investment. Major pipeline and LNG capacity is entering the market after a period of sustained upstream investment aimed at diversifying existing markets and developing new ones. The projected abundance, on one hand, sharpens focus on investment in downstream infrastructure and policies to facilitate gas market penetration where the expansion of gas consumption enables economic diversification, and makes rapid demographic growth and urbanization more sustainable. On the other hand, perceptions and realities of greater gas supply availability differ. Obstacles and opportunities depend on producer-consumer market characteristics and contract terms or policy relations across regions.
Open roundtable discussion followed by an interactive survey
Left to right: HE Mohamed Zayed Awad (Sudan), HE Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu (Nigeria), HE Yiorgos Lakotrypis (Cyprus)
Video interview of Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, India.
Watch the 5th IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forum Joint Press Conference – Credit Energy Infrapost.
Details of the previous IEF-IGU Ministerial Gas Forums can be found below.
Tokyo, Japan
The Energy Charter Conference held its 27th Meeting on 25-26 November 2016 in Tokyo under the Chairmanship of HE Fumio Kishida, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan.
IEF Secretary General, Dr Sun Xiansheng was invited to deliver a keynote speech to the conference, which 25 years after its conception was taking place in East Asia for the first time. Dr Sun’s speech entitled "Global Energy Architecture and its Implication in Asia" is available for download below.
The Energy Charter characterized the conference as a milestone event that recognised the increasing importance of the Asian region in the global energy landscape and also the role of the International Energy Charter as a universal regulatory framework for energy investment, cross-border trade, transit and energy efficiency. The primary themes explored by participants in the conference included discussions on the relevance of the Energy Charter Process to global challenges, not least in the context of helping to reach the goal of universal energy access under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the commitment to a low-carbon economy expressed in the Paris Agreement. The conference programme also addressed issues including continued investment in energy projects and better regional interconnection to improve universal access to affordable, reliable, clean, sustainable and modern energy services in Sub-Saharan and Asia-Pacific regions, which are key areas of common interest between the G20 and the International Energy Charter.
Dr Sun also participated as an observer in the Ministerial Session of the conference on 26 November, the theme of which was "Relevance of the International Energy Charter to Global Challenges: its potential contributions to sustainable development and global efforts on climate change".
More detail on these events can be found at the official website of the Energy Charter.
Tokyo, Japan
On 24 November, 2016, the 5th annual LNG Producer-Consumer Conference 2016 was held in Tokyo, Japan. The conference was hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre (APERC). Ministers and officials representing major countries producing and consuming liquefied natural gas (LNG) joined industry leaders from Japan and abroad to exchange views on the latest trends in the global LNG market, including challenges facing the creation of a stable, competitive and flexible global LNG market. Held every year since 2012, the conference provides a platform to facilitate sharing of long-term LNG demand and supply outlooks, and to develop cooperation between producing and consuming countries with a common interest in enabling a stable framework to encourage development of a competitive, transparent, sustainable and flexible market for LNG.
This year the conference was opened by HE Hiroshige Seko, Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan. IEF Secretary General Dr Sun Xiansheng delivered a keynote speech in the afternoon session "Producer-Consumer Cooperation" which also featured Ambassador Urban Rusnak, Secretary General of the Energy Charter, and Mr Francesco Fini of the European Union. This session highlighted the diversity of views held by different players in the market and the degree to which uncertainty presents challenges for both producers and consumers.
Dr Sun took the opportunity to offer the IEF's global perspective to the meeting drawing on Ministerial discussions during the recent IEF15 Ministerial (26-28 September, Algiers). IEF Secretary General, Dr Sun’s presentation "Producer - Consumer Cooperation Towards more liquid, transparent and competitive Asian gas markets" is available for download below.
Other presentations from the event will be made available online at the event’s official site.
Moscow, Russia
The 14th Regional JODI Training Workshop organised by the IEF with the support of other JODI Partners (APEC, GECF, IEA, OPEC, and UNSD) was held in Moscow from 9-11 November 2016. The workshop, hosted by the Institute for Energy and Finance of the Russian Federation, was for the benefit of statistical officers in charge of hydrocarbon data collection at national administrations from East European, Central Asian and MENA countries.
More than 35 delegates took part in the workshop which was designed to raise awareness and build better understanding of the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI), and to improve submissions from these key regions. Host country participation included delegates from the Ministry of Energy, Russian Energy Agency, and Federal State Statistics Service, ROSTAT.
The workshop took the form of hands-on training sessions which are a key element in the drive to encourage and facilitate experience-sharing among countries, and open exchange with the partner organisations that provides the feedback that is so important to the ongoing development of the Initiative.
In addition to the regular presentations made by experts from the JODI partner organisations, Dr H Ghanimi Fard, Head of Petroleum Studies Department of OPEC delivered a special presentation on OPEC’s use of JODI data in its market forecasting work. Delegates also had the opportunity to participate in a valuable session of the concurrent Exploration, Production, Processing 2016 conference "Scenarios, forecasts and statistics for global and regional energy development".
JODI Partners will follow-up on action items and commitments made by countries that participated in the workshop to help ensure ongoing improvement of the quality and timeliness of data JODI submissions from this key region.
For further details about this workshop and other JODI events please go to www.jodidata.org.
Moscow, Russia
The IEF Secretary General delivered a key note address in the Fourth International Forum on Exploration, Production and Processing (EPP 2016) in Moscow, Russia. Dr Sun’s address followed an opening speech delivered by HE Kiril Molodtsov, Deputy Minister of Energy (Russia) in the first session of the conference "Global Energy market and Regional Integration Processes" hosted by the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation and the Institute of Energy and Finance.
IEF Senior Energy Analyst, Christof van Agt also participated in the conference, delivering a presentation and participating as a panellist in the session "Scenario, forecasts and statistics for global and regional development" on the first day and on energy governance on the second day in the opening session of the second day "Russia and Iran: Towards Sustainable Development of World Energy".
Secretary General, Sun also used the opportunity to cement existing relationships and build new ones by participating in various bilateral meetings including with the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation HE Alexander Novak, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Gazprom and Special Representative of the Russian Federation to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, Mr Victor Zubkov, and senior representatives of the Analytical Centre of the Government of Russia, the Russian Energy Agency, the Institute of Energy and Finance and Academia.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The World Energy Outlook – An IEF Lecture by Mr Adam Sieminski, Administrator of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the United States.
On Monday 31 October 2016 Mr Adam Sieminski, Administrator of the Energy Information Administration (EIA) of the United States visited IEF Headquarters in Riyadh for a bilateral meeting with IEF Secretary General, Dr Sun Xiansheng. Mr Siemiski also delivered an IEF Lecture on the EIA’s World Energy Outlook to a full-house of the diplomatic corps and business community of Riyadh.
The EIA is responsible for collecting, analysing, and disseminating independent and impartial energy information to promote sound policy-making, efficient markets, and public understanding of energy and its interaction with the economy and the environment. EIA provides a wide range of information and data products covering energy production, stocks, demand, imports, exports, and prices. EIA also prepares analyses and special reports on topics of current interest.
Dubai, UAE
Fuad AlZayer, Coordinator of Energy Data Transparency at the International Energy Forum participated in the International Public Relations Association-Gulf Chapter (IPRA-GCC) 2016 Conference "Image challenges in the energy industry" held in Dubai from October 25-27.
The Conference attended by more than 500 corporate communications experts from the GCC region, with background in organisations including CNBC, BBC, LinkedIn, Wall Street Journal, Saudi Aramco, SABIC and other major entities. This highly interactive conference provided an excellent opportunity to learn about and share experiences on a broad spectrum of subjects including effective corporate communications, Gulf region in international media, changing face of communications, talent and innovation, crisis management, impact of new media on PR, and challenges in the energy industry.
The IEF took part in a panel entitled Image Challenges in The Energy Industry. Mr AlZayer and other panellists talked about the energy industry and how to overcome some of the challenges to its image. Mr AlZayer explained the potential for dialogue under the neutral banner of the IEF and Energy Data Transparency under JODI not only to help improve understanding among stakeholders, but as a means of improving trust and the image of the industry.
