This site is part of the Informa Connect Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 3099067.

search
Stuart Bradford

30 Seconds with...Stuart Bradford & Alan Copeland

Posted by on 21 March 2012
Share this article

As we approach Flame 2012 in April, we continue our 30 Seconds with… series, getting to know some of the key speaker you will be hearing from at Flame this year.  In this third instalment, we speak with Stuart Bradford from Shell, and Alan Copeland from the Australian Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics.

What are you currently working on?

Stuart:   Finding more ways to generate “Energy Solutions” for our customers, using the combination of marketing and trading skills brought together when Shell merged its European gas Marketing and Trading businesses into Shell Energy Europe”. 

Alan:  Currently working on a 5 year forecast of resource and energy commodity prices, production and consumption. Commodities covered include oil and gas”.

What is the biggest challenge that the gas industry needs to focus its attention on currently?

Stuart:  Of course the industry needs to continue to promote the case for gas as part of a sustainable long term energy mix for Europe. In doing this we need to highlight the industry’s fantastic track record, providing reliable supply of a low emissions fuel, whilst creating thousands of jobs and substantial government revenues.

We also need to ensure that the forthcoming wave of regulation aimed at financial products, which may also be applied to energy commodities, is fit for purpose. Overly burdensome regulation risks setting back all of the hard work of past European and national legislation that has made more open and liquid markets a reality.”

Alan:  “From an Australian LNG perspective, constructing 7 LNG projects in the one country and at the same time!!”

Are oil linked gas contracts a thing of the past?

Stuart:  No. Oil linked contracts have served the European and other global markets for many years, and some suppliers and customers will continue to find them a good basis for a contractual relationship. In Europe, long-term Oil linked contracts will continue to exist alongside long-term gas indexed contracts. “

Alan:  “Oil linked contracts will continue to play a role as a price setting mechanism given that many recently signed SPA’s are still based on this mechanism.  However, over time, non-oil-linked price setting mechanisms will be used. “

In your opinion, how will global gas flows change over the next 10 years?

Stuart:  “We expect to see a continuing global growth of gas trade as new markets see the advantages of gas as a fuel, and new sources of supply – including Floating LNG and possibly exports from North America – are introduced.”

Alan:  Australian gas exports are going to increase significantly over the next 10 years making it potentially the world’s largest LNG exporter.  I also expect US LNG exports to be an important part of global trade by the end of this decade.”

On a scale of 1-10, how much is shale gas an industry game changer and why? (1= not much and 10 = a complete change)

Stuart:  ”In North America it has been a 10. In other parts of the world it is too early to say. What we can say is that shale gas will present attractive opportunities for investment, job creation, incremental government revenues and increased diversification and security of supply– provided that national governments recognise it as an opportunity.”

Alan:  ”The two main impacts of shale gas are likely to be support for US LNG exports and to provide China with an important source of domestic gas supply.”

What are you most looking forward to at Flame this year?

Stuart:  Meeting old friends in the industry.”

Alan:  “Presenting and attending such an important gas conference. Gaining further insight to the various regional gas markets and networking opportunities.”

Tell us a little known fact about yourself?

Stuart:  I have climbed Mount Popocatepetl in Mexico. Almost as exciting as the opportunities and challenges in the European gas market!” 

Alan:  “I’m a big sports fan”

Involvement at Flame 2012

Stuart Bradford will be on the panel for Creating a Vision for the European Gas Market.  This session will run on Wednesday 18th April at 9:05am.

Alan Copeland will be speaking at the Australian Insight session in the Global LNG Summit.  This session will run on Monday 16th April at 11:30am.

To find out more about Flame 2012, view the programme, look at the speaker line-up, or to book your place, click here to visit the Flame website.

Share this article

Subscribe to the Gas & LNG newsletter

keyboard_arrow_down