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Detailed Technical Session Information

Session 1: EU Trends: Industrial and Legislative

Session Managers: James Lawson, Xavier Herve

  • As a storage developer, should I apply for a third-partyaccess
    (TPA) exemption?
  • What capacity-allocation and congestion-management
    techniques can I use with my storage services?
  • Will the development of strategic storage stocks within
    the EU threaten the potential of my commercial storage
    prospect?
  • Who will decide if I can offer negotiated or regulated
    storage services?

These questions and many more will be debated during the first session. In tune with the European Commission’s third energy market liberalisation package that is moving along the legislative path towards law, the workshop will explore the changes to the regulatory regime impacting on storage operators. Speakers will include representatives from the European Commission, energy regulators, users of storage, and storage operators and developers.

You will discover the reasons for regulatory reform and understand the impact of these changes on your operation and that of other stakeholders along the value chain. In addition to addressing the
impact of regulatory reform on gas competition, the workshop will address the question of European obligations for minimum levels of storage as strategic policy for security of supply—so called “strategic storage”.

Session 2: Efficiency and Performance: New Fields and Reengineering of Existing Ones

Session Managers: Hans van der Meer, TBC

This session will focus on the technical and geological aspects of storage and address questions such as how to identify the best fields for storage and how to apply lessons from existing storage
to new developments. The session will include discussion on the advantages of using depleted vs. not fully depleted fi elds. An important point will be to fi nd out how new innovative techniques (drilling, compression) and the lessons learned from existing storages can be optimally applied to new storage developments or implemented in existing storage facilities.

An interesting aspect will be to explore the ways that the cost of cushion gas, and therefore the cost-effi ciency of storage, can be reduced.

  • Can the working/cushion gas ratio be improved?
  • What are the technical options and limitations to using other
    substances such as nitrogen (N2) and/or carbon dioxide (CO2) as
    cushion gas?

Obtaining the permits and consent of local authorities and population can be a major challenge and the concept of “NUMBY” (not under my back yard). The debate aims to identify the underlying reason for problems in this area and discuss possible engagement strategies to minimise confusion. A major point of discussion will be on how proactive the storage system operator should be in engaging the various stakeholders.

Session 3: Challenges

Session Managers: Jean Marc Leroy, Zoltan Jaszberenyi

This session will be in the format of a roundtable panel debate and will focus on investment risks and opportunities for new storage developments. The session will be chaired by Jean Marc Leroy of GDF SUEZ . Panellists: TBC

The debate will focus on issues such as

  • The growing need of storage in Europe
  • Investment: the key issue to enhance storage
    development
  • How to maintain a stable and secured climate for
    investment
  • How to deal with uncertainties such as market,
    regulation, etc.

Session 4: How To Be Competitive in Gas Storage

Session Managers: James Lawson, Andrea Stegher

After a brief recap of the most important fi ndings of the workshop, you will be led by the various committee members through lively debate sessions, where it will be your turn to give comments,
input, and views in highly interactive sessions devoted to drill down on the major topics discussed throughout the workshop.

Tentative topics for the single drill downs include

  • Is regulated TPA the way to best satisfy market needs in
    the long run?
    (chaired by James Lawson)
  • Upstream and storage: two faces of the same coin? Technology, competencies, and environment
    (chaired by Hans van der Meer)
  • Will carbon capture and storage be competing with gas storage? How might they interact?
    (chaired by Jean Marc Leroy)
  • How is strategic storage related to market dynamics?
    (chaired by Andrea Stegher and James Lawson)