April 24, 2013
by: Jessica A. Valor
Over 5,000 delegates and 350 exhibitors from over 80 countries attended the 17th International Conference & Exhibition on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG 17) held at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center April 16-19, 2013. Many of Interface Consulting’s experts, including myself, attended the event on Thursday, April 18. The conference is the largest global exhibition for the LNG industry and attracts decision-makers and industry experts from all over the world.
The LNG conference began in 1968 and is held every three years, alternating between producer and consumer nations including: Algeria, Spain, Qatar, South Korea, Australia, Malaysia, France, England, Indonesia, Japan, Germany, and Algeria. Only a few American cities have made the list of host cities, including Washington, D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, and now Houston.
The LNG conference appeals to a wide range of producers and consumers in the industry because of its focus on both technical and commercial trends. New to this year’s conference were the Global Strategy Forum and six Spotlight Sessions, which focused on global market strategies and trends, challenges, and opportunities facing today’s industry.
The conference spanned over 13,400 square feet of convention space with three different stages for scheduled speakers and panels. Although most attendees at the time we arrived were sitting in on the spotlight session regarding the role of LNG in economic development and energy security, there were plenty of people eager to talk with us about their corporate LNG initiatives and confidence in the industry. It was refreshing to speak with so many people who were confident that demand will only continue to increase and LNG will remain a viable energy market for many countries around the world.
Many of energy industry heavy-hitters were in attendance from around the globe. Houston-based Shell Oil Company, Angola LNG, France’s Total, TransCanada, and representatives from the State of Alaska, among countless others, were on hand to talk about their LNG ventures. Many booths featured impressive displays, including models of floating LNG plants, intricate construction layouts and plans, and specialty products such as LNG valves and cryogenic tanks.
The LNG series is an opportunity for senior industry experts to exchange commercial, strategic, technical, economic, and scientific information on LNG. As leading experts in the oil and gas industry over the past 27 years, Interface Consulting has witnessed the increasing prominence of LNG in the energy industry.
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