The Economics Of The Gas Supply Industry

In recent years, natural gas has become a major source of energy, with trade across borders increasing through both pipelines and as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Owing to this global development, this book traces the development of the gas supply industry, from localised to national industries and national industries to a major global industry. It looks at the basic economics and origins of the industry, as well as the role of the government in its development and relation to international markets. The book highlights certain economic characteristics such as the industry’s vertical and horizontal structure, the composition of consumer demand and the role of government in safety, planning and investment. With the understanding of the industry's long term development, the book helps to illustrate the relationship between natural gas producers and importers of LNG. This book would be of interest to scholars majoring in resource economics and energy economics, as well as to international practitioners in the natural gas market.

This text places an emphasis on a global perspective of the gas industry. Federal regulations, economics and the unique effects of growing global environmentalism have all had an impact in boosting the industry.

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.

Originally published in 1987 this book presents a comprehensive survey of the global natural gas industry: it looks at the problems of supply, the pattern of demand, the economics of the industrya nd how the industry in the 1980s was being affected by changes in other energy sectors. As a key commodity in the world economy the supply of natural gas is increasingly affecting and changing international relations between importer and supplier countries: the siberian natural gas pipeline which supplies Soviet gas to Western Europe is a key example of the impact of natural gas on international relations and one which is discussed in the book.

I remember that the idea of this book emerged ?rst in Toulouse, during the Third Conference on Energy Markets – 3 years ago now. Anna Cret` ? gave a talk on a model dealing with seasonal gas storage in the USA, and Christian Von Hirschausen was her discussant. Both of them were devoting their efforts to understand the natural gas market in Europe and the relevant liberalization process. I found their interest in storage rather original, so I encouraged Anna to collect the most original cont- butions on this topic. Back in Milan with this idea in mind, she organized a working group at IEFE- Bocconi University, where she works. Then, during the following year, she - changed ideas and organized several meetings with the book’s contributors. She regularly invited the most important Italian gas sector representatives to these me- ings, to make sure that the economic models were well suited to tackle the issues at stake in the European gas industry.