MEDIA RELEASE
4th June 2015
GLOBAL GAS INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT SWITCHES TO AUSTRALIA
FOR PERTH 2016 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE – LNG 18
The global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) spotlight is now firmly on Australia as the nation
prepares to host the industry’s most prestigious world event – LNG 18.
Some 5000 LNG industry professionals from more than 70 countries are expected to attend
this triennial conference and exhibition which will be held in Perth, the capital of Western
Australia, 11–15 April next year.
This is the second occasion Australia and Perth have been chosen as the venue for the
world’s largest global LNG event as the city also successfully hosted LNG 12, 17 years ago
in 1998.
The dramatic growth in the Australian LNG industry over that period has been striking, with
the nation rocketing up the output ladder towards being on the cusp of challenging Qatar as
the world’s largest LNG exporter.
From its fledgling LNG position at the time of LNG 12 in Perth in 1998, Australia is today the
third largest LNG exporter in the world and with abundant offshore and onshore petroleum
reserves under development and close to key LNG demand centres in the Asia-Pacific
region.
The triennial International Conference and Exhibition on LNG is owned and presented by the
International Gas Union (IGU), the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and the International
Institute of Refrigeration (IIR). The host IGU member for LNG 18 is the Australian Gas
Industry Trust (AGIT) with the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association
(APPEA) the event’s supporting association.
Mr Jérôme Ferrier, President of the IGU and Chair of the LNG Steering Committee, said
LNG 18 would be the most significant international event on the global gas industry calendar
in 2016.
“This is a most appropriate time for this conference and exhibition to be held in Australia
which continues to move towards a leadership position in the world LNG production and
export industries,” Mr Ferrier said.
“LNG 18 – to be held at Perth’s internationally renowned convention and exhibition centre has already attracted a wide range of outstanding industry leaders as keynote speakers and
will feature some 200 exhibitors,” he said.
Mr David Carroll, the IGU’s incoming President, said the line-up of speakers and
presentations at LNG 18 would showcase the global gas industry to the world.
Mr Carroll, who is currently Vice-President of the IGU, is also on the LNG 18 Steering
Committee which met last week to choose the papers to be presented at the Perth event.
“We have chosen some outstanding papers and presentations which will provide delegates
with up-to-the-minute information and comment not previously available to the world gas
industry,” he said.
High level industry professionals already confirmed as plenary session speakers for the fiveday conference include:
- Mr Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), RasGas;
- Mr Khalid Bin Khalifa Bin Al-Thani, CEO, Qatargas;
- Dr Nirmal (Chat) Chatterjee, Chair, LNG 18 Program Committee & Corporate Vice
President (Retired) Engineering and EH&S Air Products and Chemicals;
- Mr Peter Coleman, CEO, Woodside;
- Mr Bill Dudley, CEO, Bechtel Group;
- Mr Jérôme Ferrier, President, IGU & Chair, LNGX Steering Committee;
- Mr Grant King, Managing Director, Origin Energy & Chair, LNG 18 National
Organising Committee;
- Mr Toshiaki Kitamura, Representative Director, President & CEO, INPEX;
- Ms Sarah Ladislaw, Director and Senior Fellow, Energy and National Security
Program, CSIS;
- Mr Ryan Lance, Chairman and , CEO, ConocoPhillips;
- Mr Helge Lund, CEO, BG Group;
- Ms Melody B. Meyer, President, Chevron Asia Pacific Exploration and Production
Company;
- Mr Neeraj Nandurdikar, Director, Oil & Gas Practice at Independent Project Analysis;
- Mr Lorenzo Simonelli, President & CEO, GE Oil & Gas;
- Mr Jonathan Stern, Chairman, Natural Gas Research Programme and Senior
Research Fellow;
- Mr Michael Stoppard, Chief Strategist, Global Gas, IHS Energy;
- Mr Michael Utsler, Chief Operating Officer, Woodside;
- Mr Ben van Beurden, CEO, Royal Dutch Shell plc;
- Mr John Watson, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Chevron; and
- Mr Maarten Wetselar, Executive Vice President, Shell Integrated Gas.
Mr Grant King, Chair of the LNG 18 National Organising Committee, said Australia was
privileged and delighted to again host a global event of such significance.
“This will be the largest and most important international energy conference and exhibition
ever held in Australia and reflects the great importance of the LNG industry to our country
which is seen throughout the world as a reliable and secure supplier,” Mr King said.
“We look forward to welcoming all delegates to Perth for LNG 18 and to sharing with the
world up-to-date information on the latest LNG projects and the various leading-edge
technologies associated with the industry.
“See you in Perth in April 2016 for the 18th in the series of the largest events in the world
which bring together the global players in the LNG market.”
Media enquiries
Conference Organiser
Arinex Pty Ltd
Brigitte Petrie
LNG 18 Marketing Manager
P: +61 2 9265 0736
E: bpetrie@arinex.com.au
PR and Media Consultant for LNG 18
Field Public Relations
John Field
Managing Director
P: +61 8 8234 9555 or +61 418 819 527
E: john@fieldpr.com.au