WGC2012 closes with optimism for future of gas
Kuala Lumpur - The 25th World Gas Conference (WGC2012) held here last week ended with a note of optimism as the world prepares to enter the Golden Age of Gas.
Across the five days of WGC2012, 5,299 delegates from 90 countries were treated to the best the industry had to offer, with technical discussions and keynotes delivered by 575 speakers, spanning the entire value chain of the gas industry. The 11,400sqm exhibition hall housed 220 exhibitors and 13,803 people visited the exhibition during this period. WGC2012 also had a record number of more than 350 local and international media which covered the event.
President of the International Gas Union (IGU), Datuk (Dr) Abdul Rahim Hashim in his closing speech announced that Malaysian Presidency in the 2009 - 2012 Triennium achieved new records on various initiatives, which include:
- Making a case for gas through various advocacy initiatives including with other multilateral agencies such as the World Bank, United Nations, IEA, regulatory bodies.
- Enhancing the transformation journey for the organisation with a new vision, a new logo, supported with a global gas vision pathway blueprint.
- Publishing a record of 14 publications, made available during WGC itself.
- Establishing 4 Regional Coordinators covering: Europe & the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Asia & Asia Pacific, North & South America and Middle East & Africa.
- Implementing a royalty payment for new Presidencies.
- Increasing IGU memberships: with an additional 8 Charter and 14 Associate members, and increasing technical committees membership to a record of more than 900.
- Introducing a Youth Programme for the first time in the World Gas Conference to address the talent crunch issue.
"These efforts were undertaken to make the organisation more responsive and relevant to its members and to the industry as we respond to the changes taking place in the energy world", said Datuk Rahim Hashim.
Since 1931, the International Gas Union has been organising the World Gas Conference (WGC) every three years. The WGC conference and exhibition has become the most important international meeting of the sector. At the end of each IGU Presidency Triennium, the host country is accorded the privilege to host the World Gas Conference.
Datuk Rahim Hashim officially handed over the IGU Presidency on behalf of Malaysia, to IGU Vice President and Senior Vice-President of TOTAL, France, Jérôme Ferrier for the 2012-2015 Triennium.
"We trust that the French Presidency and future presidencies will continue and further improve on what we have started; to make the organisation more dynamic, more proactive, more vibrant and relevant to its members and the industry." Datuk Rahim concluded.
The soon to be new IGU President, Jérôme Ferrier, announced that the 26th World Gas Conference will be hosted by France and will take place in Paris on 1-5 June, 2015. The theme for the new Triennial Work Program (2012-2015) will be: Growing together towards a friendly planet and there will be four strategic guideline pillars: Human Resources for the Future; Natural Gas Available Everywhere; Natural Gas for a Sustainable Development; and Combination with Renewable and Electricity.
"We are much honored to be taking on the important responsibility of promoting the use of natural gas through such an established meeting place, being the World Gas Conference. We must continue to address the world's challenges such as increasing global energy demand by educating the energy industry on the benefits of natural gas and its imperative role in our energy future," said Jérôme Ferrier.
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