Malaysia first in region to host world gas meet

by **hlk** Wed 30 Nov 2011, 20:12

KUALA LUMPUR: The 25th World Gas Conference and Exhibition (WGC2012) will be held for the first time in Southeast Asia, with Malaysia as the proud host.

Some 15,000 participants and trade visitors from the gas industry worldwide are expected to attend the conference.

National Organising Committee chairman Datuk Anuar Ahmad said WGC2012 will feature Malaysia's capacity as host of world-class event.

"The WGC 2012 will allow us to prominently brand ourselves with the leading energy players and top policymakers in the oil and gas arena, while giving us the opportunity to showcase the best of our own assets and achievements," he said.

Hosted by the Malaysian Gas Association, with the support of Petronas, this is the second time in the International Gas Union's (IGU) history, the event is held in Asia since the union was first registered in Vevey, Switzerland in 1931.

Anuar speaking to reporters after the soft launch of the conference here said, among the reasons that contributed to Malaysia's winning the bid to host the hallmark event is that Malaysia is the third largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter and is ranked 15th of the largest gas reserves in the world.

"Being a gas producer, we have a role to play in order to champion the use of gas," he said.

Among the speakers for WGC 2012 are Royal Dutch Shell chief executive Peter Voser, Exxon Mobil Corporation chairman/chief executive Rex W Tillerson, China National Petroleum Company (CNPC) president Zhou Jiping; Statoil ASA president/chief executive Helge Lund, and GDF Suez chairman/chief executive Gerard Kirkland.

Meanwhile, Datuk Abdul Rahim Hashim, president of the Malaysian Gas Association said that apart from addressing global concerns of energy security, economic growth and climate change, WGC 2012 is also an ideal platform for knowledge sharing and relationship buil-ding.

"IGU has developed a programme that encompasses a wide range of issues, opportunities and challenges faced by the industry," he said.

The event is scheduled to take place on June 4 to 8 next year at the International Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur.