Natural Gas In Developing Countries

The Economics of Natural Gas in Developing Countries provides information pertinent to the utilization of natural gas in developing countries. This book examines the potential domestic uses of natural gas as well as its export possibilities. Organized into 13 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the policies that provide adequate incentives for gas development in order to maximize the availability of gas for domestic uses. This text then examines the worldwide demand and supply of natural gas. Other chapters consider the requirements for gas-trade projects, which consists of a substantial market in the importing region and a significant gas reserve in the exporting country. This book discusses as well the differences between oil and gas development in terms of cost, marketing, technology, and government regulation. The final chapter deals with the significant potential for natural gas. This book is a valuable resource for economists, engineers, and engineering consultants.

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This book is concerned with the multifaceted character of natural gas and the potential for its utilization as a powerful tool for future development. It deals with the specifics of gas uses in a number of sectors chosen for their relevance in the development of industrial economies.

In order to alleviate their problems many less developed countries (LDCs) are endeavoring to develop to the full their energy resources and in particular their hydrocarbon resources. However, the development of these resources is hindered by many factors, among which are the following: badly established estimates of indigenous resources; under-exploration; lack of competent Government institutions to monitor the hydrocarbon sector; lack of local markets to exploit non-oil hydrocarbon finds; refineries which are outdated, producing the wrong product mix and where economies of scale make upgrading difficult. The purpose of this work is to examine the hydrocarbon sector in the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries. An examination of such a diverse group of nations on a global scale is difficult since the group includes relatively rich countries such as Trinidad and Tobago with a GNP per capita of $4000, to the sub-Saharan countries such as Mali with a GNP per capita of $120. No easy solutions will be presented to improve the present energy situation in these countries but the reasons for the lack of hydrocarbon development will be examined. The work of the World Bank and similar international financial institutions will be assessed and a potted review of the hydrocarbon sector in each country will be presented.

Natural gas is an under-exploited resource in many Third World countries. Why? This book analyses the problems that arise in developing gas reserves, and looks for positive steps that could facilitate such development.

Twelve chapters cover a wide variety of topics, including finance, contracts, political risk insurance, legal issues, economics, and technical cooperation. All treatment of these subjects focuses on conditions expected to exist in the mid 1990s. No subject index or bibliography. Annotation copyright

Natural gas resembles oil in fulfilling a wide variety of uses as both a source of energy and a feedstock, but the proportion of world production that is traded internationally is very much lower, and insufficient for a world price of gas to be established. This book addresses the issues of how the economic price of gas is determined. These are illustrated with estimates of the costs of exploration and production of gas, and of the benefits to be derived from its use in various economic sectors for a number of Third World countries.

"With abundant underdeveloped reserves of natural gas, this resource has the potential to play a large role in meeting the world's growing energy demand." Natural gas competes with other resources for use in power generation. In addition, its other uses have increased dramatically. Since it offers substantial environmental advantages over other hydrocarbon fuels, governments and investors are considering natural gas. This volume examines a range of issues relating to gas sector reform and gas market development. It also examines the reform experience in an array of countries. The last section reviews some of the commercial issues faced in expanding the role of gas, such as, the challenges of developing and financing cross-border gas pipeline trade and the difficulties of attracting investors to projects involving countries with high credit and currency risks.