Words of Welcome
The IGU is delighted that the Korea Gas Union has accepted the invitation to hold and to organise the conference IGRC2011 in Seoul, Republic of Korea between from 19-21 October 2011. This guarantees a professionally-organised conference in a pleasant environment.
More than ever, the global gas industry must continue and indeed strengthen past investment trends in research and development (R&D) if it wishes to fulfil what the world expects from us, in terms of energy and environmental sustainability, namely a contribution to the security of supply, an improvement in overall energy system efficiency, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Technological success must not be taken for granted; it must be nurtured through research and development focused on basic science, as well as technological breakthroughs. However, at the end of the day, the key factor in ensuring the interest of the industry is a clear link to the needs of the market.
During the IGRC2008 Conference in Paris, more than 800 delegates attended and actively participated in 45 oral presentations spread over 12 sessions, more than 300 poster presentations and 4 workshops. In addition, 3 keynote speakers addressed the audience on issues relating to industry trends, in particular in R&D, while a roundtable composed of CEO's enabled the participants to gain a clear picture of how business leaders view R&D and its relationship to the gas business.
Innovation is the key to a sustainable future!
The programming of the IGRC2011 Conference will be reviewed to ensure a balance between short, medium and long-term issues, always focusing in the relationship between the gas business and the fields of gas research. Workshops and roundtable sessions are planned on major issues and technology topics facing the gas industry. Presentations will include such topics as CO2 capture and sequestration, safety issues concerning the whole gas chain, methane hydrates, increased efficiency of depleted and stranded gas fields, gas and renewables, distributed energy generation and the use of information technology to improve the efficiency of the gas chain. Alongside the workshops, oral and poster sessions covering each of the links in the gas chain will be organised, for example Exploration and Production (including LNG), Storage, Transmission, Distribution and Utilisation.
You can expect to receive the call for papers for this prestigious conference during the 4th quarter of 2010. The final conference programme will be distributed in early 2011. The deadline for the submission of papers for the proceedings will be the 2nd quarter of 2011.
Conferences like the IGRC provide an excellent opportunity for interaction between a wide variety of delegates from institutions that share common ground in gas research, or benefit from the results.
The Conference organisers are offering companies the opportunity to sponsor the International Gas Union Research Conference-IGRC2011 in Seoul, and thus benefit from improved visibility for their companies, institutions or associations. There is the opportunity to become special sponsor. However there are also possibilities for sponsoring single items. For further information about sponsoring you can e-mail to foundation.igrc@upcmail.nl.
See you in Seoul !!
Ernesto Lopez Anadón
Immediate Past President IGU
Chairman Policy Committee IGRC2011
