EBRD holds Moscow workshop on gas flaring

The EBRD tomorrow opens a one-day Moscow workshop (see below for programme) on one of the biggest problems facing the Russian oil industry -- how to make use of Associated Petroleum Gas (APG). The event follows on two successful EBRD workshops on gas flaring held in recent weeks in Baku and Astana. Government officials, technical and financial representatives of oil companies and businesspeople will have a chance to discuss how new regulations and policies could improve flare-reduction efforts and how new technologies and commercial approaches might open new opportunities for viable investment projects involving APG. The results of a new study on gas flaring in Russia, as well as in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, will be presented at the Moscow workshop. The study, which examines ways to support the development of sustainable business practices in the oil and gas sector in these countries, was jointly managed by the EBRD and the Global Gas Flaring Partnership (GGFR). The EBRD region is a huge source of associated petroleum gas and the Bank is committed to work with its partners to bring it to productive use while minimizing gas flaring as much as possible, said Natasha Khanjenkova, the EBRD’s Managing Director for Russia. Mrs. Khanjenkova expressed confidence that significant results could be achieved in Russia thanks to the commitments of all stakeholders and the pro-active role played by the Russian Government and leading energy companies. The EBRD is deeply involved in the APG Flaring Reduction Initiative in its countries of operation and especially Russia, said Riccardo Puliti, the EBRD’s Managing Director for Energy and Natural Resources. The flaring and venting of the gas is not only a climate change hazard, it is also an enormous resource waste that could be utilized for profitable projects and a more sustainable economic development, Mr. Puliti added. The EBRD is working closely with GGFR, a World Bank-led initiative, in order to promote active dialogue and collaboration among all relevant stakeholders with a goal of achieving a more efficient and environmentally-friendly method of producing oil. 

The workshop is being held on Tuesday, 18 June, at Moscow’s Metropol Hotel (address: Teatralnyj proezd 2).

WAYS TO INCREASE UTILIZATION OF ASSOCIATED PETROLEUM GAS

AGENDA

Workshop, Tuesday 18 June, Moscow

LOCATION

Hotel Metropol Moscow

(located at Teatralnyj proezd 2, Moscow, Russia) 09:00	Registration
09:30	Keynote addresses Representative of Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology, Russia Aida Sitdikova, EBRD
10:00	Overview of purpose and results of the EBRD Study Objectives of the EBRD Study, Cristian Carraretto, EBRD Overview of GGFRs work in Russia, Bent Svensson, World Bank Overview of main results from the EBRD Study, Torleif Haugland, Carbon Limits
11:00	Coffee Break
11:30	How and when can the 95% target be reached? New policies and regulations, representative of Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology and/or Ministry of Economic Development Associated petroleum gas (APG) utilization in Russia: issues and prospects, Alexey Knizhnikov, WWF Implications of recent legal reforms, Max Gutbrod, Baker&McKenzie, Moscow
12:30	Lunch
13:30	Technologies and options for APG utilization Smaller-scale Gas-to-Liquids: Maximising Value from Associated Gas, Neville Hargreaves, Velocys APG Flaring solutions, appraisal and difficulties with case studies from and for small to midsize companies, Dmitry Lukin, Globotek Experience of implementing project on APG utilization, Tatyana Marinchenko, Irkutsk Oil company Creation of experimental-industrial modular nonvolatile installation GTL for processing of hydrocarbon gases, Iosif Loschiner , EnergoSyntop
14:45	Clustering of APG investments – new and innovative approaches Sharing risks in clustering of APG utllization projects, Tore Holm, Carbon Limits EBRDs role in financing APG investments, Ksenia Solodnikova, EBRD Complex solutions - the key to economic efficiency of associated gas processing projects, Andrey Nepomnyashij, BlueLine Project
15:30	Coffee Break
15:45	Way forward – Panel Discussion: Barriers to further utilisation of APG Representatives of oil and gas companies, technology providers, Russian public authorities and EBRD.
16:30	Concluding remarks