European Natural Gas Markets

This highly unique book focuses on market design issues common to most EU gas markets, particularly in the context of closer integration. It explores in detail the characteristics and requirements of national gas markets in Europe, which are constructed as virtual hubs based on entry/exit schemes as a requirement of European law. The expert contributors analyse gas supply and demand patterns in the EU, showing that both have changed following the introduction of liquefied natural gas on the supply side and the growth of gas-fired power plants on the demand side. The repeated interactions between the transmission operators activity and the gas commodity markets are addressed, as is the design of commercial networks in EU markets. The contributors also question whether the relationship between commercial and physical networks, in terms of the new flexibility requirements of users, actually works. By way of conclusion, two proposals for the EU gas target model are presented, both of which tackle the fundamental issues raised in this book, as well as the organization of short-term transactions and the mechanisms for investment in vital new long-life infrastructure needed to integrate EU markets. This volume will be of great interest to practitioners, as well as academics, researchers and students in the fields of energy economics and industrial economics. Both European and non-European energy companies and regulatory authorities looking for an independent and analytical overview of European gas markets will also find this book to be a highly valuable resource.

This book explores in detail the challenges which the European gas markets currently face, and the opportunities they present. Bringing together some of the most prominent gas experts on Europe from both academia and industry, this edited volume provides a comprehensive analysis of the various economic, political and technological factors that interact in this sector. Featuring a Foreword by Maroš Šefčovič, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of the Energy Union, contributions explore a wide range of issues, such as the role of gas in decarbonizing Europe, the outlook of Europe’s gas demand, supply and pricing, and global LNG dynamics. Country specific studies include Russia, Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany, with regional studies including North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. Alongside detailed analysis of this complex sector it also puts forward a set of policy recommendations for the sector’s key stakeholders. This volume will be of interest to researchers and academics, as well as practitioners and professionals within European gas markets.

Over the last decades, the European gas industry has experienced extraordinary success. A strongly interconnected network of gas pipelines has been developed inside and around Europe, and the liquefied natural gas (LNG) trade has also expanded rapidly. However, the European gas industry is now facing a number of new challenges and opportunities, related to both its demand and supply sides. On the demand side, the ambitious EU de-carbonization targets have led to an unprecedented uncertainty of the EU future gas demand. In fact, the implementation of a climate-based energy policy in Europe challenges the role of natural gas in the long-term European energy mix. Also, natural gas could play an important and cost effective role in the transition towards a low carbon economy. On the supply side, new natural gas supplies are emerging around the world, mainly because of an increase in the global LNG supply and the shale gas revolution in the US. This unprecedented shift in the supply/demand balance is creating new dynamics also in the European gas industry, regarding both the EU security of gas supply architecture and the EU gas pricing mechanism. This book provides a comprehensive analysis of all these challenges and opportunities affecting the European gas industry, providing a clear snapshot of a market characterized by growing uncertainty and volatility. (Series: European Energy Studies - Vol. 6)

This report provides insights and guidance on developments and needs in the natural gas market. The report, drafted by the Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs for the UNECE Group of Experts on Gas, and in collaboration with a broad range of natural gas stakeholders from the UNECE region, highlights demand and supply trends for natural gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and suggests areas where policy makers can support the development of LNG infrastructure and markets that can contribute to sustainable development.

Moving beyond most conventional thinking about energy security in Europe which revolves around stability of supplies and the reliability of suppliers, this book presents the history of European policy-making regarding energy resources, including recent controversies about shale gas and fracking. Using the United States as a benchmark, the author tests the hypothesis that EU energy security is at risk primarily because of a lack of market integration and cooperation between member states. This lack of integration still prohibits natural gas to flow freely throughout the continent, which makes parts of Europe vulnerable in case of supply disruptions. The book demonstrates that the EU gas market has been developing at different speeds, leaving the Northwest of the continent reasonably well integrated, with sufficient trade and liquidity and different supplies, whereas other parts are less developed. In these parts of Europe there is a structural lack of investments in infrastructure, interconnectors, reverse flow options and storage facilities. Thus, even though substantial progress has been made in parts of the EU, single source dependency often prevails, leaving the relevant member states vulnerable to market power abuse. Detailed comparisons are made of the situations in the Netherlands and Poland, and of energy policy in the USA. The book dismantles some of the existing assumptions about the concept of energy security, and touches upon the level of rhetoric that features in most energy security and policy debates in Europe.

Europe and Russia are pushing against each other in a contest of economic doctrines and political ambitions, seemingly erasing the vision of cooperation that emerged from the end of the Cold War. Thane Gustafson argues that natural gas serves as a bridge over troubled geopolitical waters, uniting the region through common economic interests.

This book analyses the strategies of four major national companies, Gazprom, Sonatrach, Statoil, and Gasunie, that supply the expanding European gas market. The strategies of these giant corporations are examined in the relevant historical perspective. The analysis concludes by considering future developments of the market and of the supply policies of these main players.