Gastech 2005 - The Scene Is Set
Over 3,000 senior gas industry decision makers are expected at Gastech 2005, the 21st international conference and exhibition for the LNG, LPG and natural gas industries (Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain - 14-17 March 2005). Combine this with over 150 speakers including government ministers, CEOs and presidents from the most influential companies in the commercial and technical gas world will be speaking at the conference; and the scene is set for the largest international conference in the 2005 gas industry calendar.
"Gastech 2005 is taking place in one of the fastest growing gas consuming economies in the world," explains Robert J. Lakey, Gastech 2005 Conference Chairman. "In the last decade the Basque Country has made a concerted effort towards gas and the promotion of natural gas as a competitive conventional energy source with demand rising to 287,000 users. Corresponding improvements of the gas transmission and distribution systems are set to increase by 40%.
" Making projects Happen ' is the key theme running through the conference looking at all aspects of gas projects from financial backing through commercial supply and demand issues to the finer technical details. With three streams - commercial, technical, applications and utilisations of gas - running through the four days of the conference there is something for everyone.
"Gastech has become an international networking forum with lunches, evening social functions, technical tours, partner programmes, informal business meetings and cava and wine poster sessions - a new feature in 2005. The exhibition that fills two adjoining and linked halls features companies from all over the world displaying products and services - an ideal meeting place for discussing business.
"As chairman of the Programme Advisory Committee I am looking forward to welcoming you to Gastech 2005 in March."
Making Projects Happen
H.M. King Juan Carlos has been invited to make the opening address at the conference, which will be followed by addresses by Spanish and Basque political dignitaries, and HE Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.
"Captain Michael Lopez-Alegria, United States Navy, and a NASA astronaut will set the ball rolling for the industry keynotes that follow, taking that vital issue 'Making Projects Work' as his topic," explains Gastech 2005 Event Director, Tony Stephenson.
"Frank Chapman, CEO, BG; Rex Tillerson, President, ExxonMobil; George Verberg, President, IGU; John Gass, President ChevronTexaco Global Gas; Vivienne Cox, Chief Executive, BP Gas, Power & Renewables; Ignacio Sánchez Galán, CEO, Iberdrola adopt the 'From Start to Finish' theme by addressing such vital issues as 'How to transform a domestic utility into a world-leading LNG trader'; 'How an oil company can make gas projects happen all over the world'; 'How gas makes possible the energy aspirations of the world economy'; 'What does the future hold for gas supplies?'; and 'The Iberian Perspective on pipeline and LNG supplies' and thus setting the scene for the later, more detailed conference sessions and panels."
The full conference programme is available on the Gastech website at www.gastech.co.uk
Packed Exhibition
Social Events
Technical tours
Partners programme
Change of ownership but it's business as usual
"This year's exhibition is larger than that at any previous Gastech," explains Tony Stephenson. "Some 200 exhibiting companies from 33 countries are filling the two interlinked halls and occupying over 7,250m2 net space making it 3,000m2 larger than the previous event. Surely an indication not only of the increasing importance of gas to the world economy, but of the importance of Gastech as a vehicle for bringing the industry together."
One of the highlights of the Gastech 2005 social calendar will be the Gastech 2005 Fiesta, the official welcoming dinner hosted by EVE - Ente Vasco de la Energía. This will take place on the evening of 14 March at the Palacio Euskalduna (a Bilbao architectural landmark regarded as second only to the Guggenheim Museum) and is open to conference delegates, speakers and exhibitors (tickets can also be made available for partners).
The organisers of Gastech 2005 have arranged technical visits to seven energy-producing facilities close to Bilbao, all of a strategic nature for the Basque Country. They include combined cycle power plant, wind farms, a regasification terminal, a refinery and a waste-to-energy incinerator. The visits will be optional, are open to all attending the event, and will all take place on the morning of Friday, 18 March. Bookings will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis for there are a limited number of places available on each visit. Wärtsila too is organising a trip to the dual-fuel engine test facility at Bermeo. Information on the tours, including background facts and figures on investment and shareholders for each site on the visit agenda, is on the Gastech website.
"There's no doubt about it, there won't be any partner of a Gastech delegate or exhibitor bemoaning the fact that there is nothing for him or her to do!" says Tony Stephenson. "The Guggenheim Bilbao Museum is undoubtedly the city's main tourist attraction but there is much more than the Guggenheim to see and a superb partners' programme is a strong feature of the event. The programme, which can be found in full at www.gastech.co.uk
Gastech has recently been acquired by dmg world media organisers of 300 market-leading trade exhibitions, consumer shows and fairs each year and publishers of 65 related magazines, newspapers, directories and market reports worldwide including the Global Petroleum Show, held every other year in Calgary and the world's largest event of its kind "We are delighted to be able to announce that dmg world media has taken over the Gastech series, but it is very much a case of 'business as usual'," says Tony Stephenson "For the 2005 show all the Gastech staff are involved in the same tasks so our exhibitors, speakers and delegates should see no outward differences."